Darkest Dusk
by Xuan Ying
Summary: A rouge Pokémon attacks all who intrude on its grounds. When two legendary Pokémon are attacked, Kyle and Lyra are the only ones they can turn to for help. Kyle finds himself torn between worlds, as the line of humanity begins to blur.
1. Prolouge

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. Only the plot and characters belong to me. Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures Inc.**_

**A/N,**

**I'm new to fanfiction writing, but I have loads of experience writing Chinese novels. The main reason I'm writing this is to experiment with ideas and to gain more experience in writing. This story aims to add a more mature edge to the Pokémon series, while still bringing an engaging story which respects the canon.**

**My English may not be up to par with the other writers on the site, but I will improve, that's a promise. I hope that this story will garner reviews, and at the very least, PMs. I'm all for constructive criticism, but hopefully it will be **_**constructive**_**.**

**Now, the first chapter is all about character development. The action kicks in once I get the next chapter up and ready. Readers can expect updates every two weeks. And please review.**

Darkest Dusk

Kyle glanced at his Quilava, and then at his opponent, Lyra.

Things weren't looking too good.

Quilava was strong, but he was facing off against a foe with more than just type advantage. Lyra's Feraligatr was a tough opponent. He would know, he helped during their training. Feraligatr may have took a few hits, but it was all from weakened fire attacks. His typing managed to protect him from serious harm. It was nothing compared to what Quilava had gone through.

Before he had more time to think, Lyra gave an order. "Feraligatr, Earthquake!" Feraligatr stomped at the ground strongly. As the ground began to shake, Quilava began to battlefield shaking. It would be a super-effective hit if Kyle didn't think of something soon.

"Jump, then use Flamethrower!" Kyle gave the most obvious order, he needed more time. The flamethrower attack should be able to give him maneuvering room.

Once Quilava was up in the air, Lyra smirked. "Still as predictable as always, Kyle," Kyle glanced at Feraligatr, knowing what was coming next. Lyra shouted "Surf!"

Feraligatr summoned a huge wave of water and rode it towards Quilava. Kyle glanced at his faithful Pokemon. The only hope now was to shoot the charged Flamethrower attack towards the huge wave, slowing it down, and weakening it in the process.

No, that wouldn't work.

Quilava was good at hiding fatigue. Even Kyle had trouble knowing how much more endurance Quilava had left. If only he could fly, like a kite, a plane or…

Or a rocket! That's it.

"Quilava, shoot the Flamethrower towards the ground!" Kyle gave the order.

Quilava learned through experience to never question his trainer's orders, no matter how strange it might be. He just had to trust Kyle, Kyle never disappointed him when it came to last minute comeback. He launched the blazing jet of flame towards the earth below. Once the attack hit the ground, Quilava was propelled through the air at high speed.

Lyra could only watch as Feraligatr's Surf attack missed. Kyle never failed to impress her, yet his main strategy was to exploit every loophole in every plan. Now Quilava was being propelled through the air by the force of the Flamethrower. While in the air, the fire-type had no control over his momentum, leaving him open for an attack.

"Feraligatr, use Hydro Pump!" The water-type sucked in a gasp of air and prepared to shoot a highly pressured stream of water towards the opponent's Pokémon.

Quilava knew what to do next; he got ready and awaited confirmation from Kyle.

Kyle knew that Quilava had thought of the same thing. "Aerial Ace!"

Quilava held his arms and legs into his body. He began his descent from the sky, slowly gaining speed. As he passed the Hydro Pump, he did a back flip, dodging unscathed.

"Try to see where Quilava is and hit him." Lyra started to panic. She knew that Kyle had started to teach Quilava Aerial Ace, but she didn't expect him to master it so soon.

Feraligatr shifted the Hydro Pumps aim, yet it was all in vain, Quilava just moved to fast to target. Quilava smashed right into Feraligatr, causing the water-type to lose its balance. Feraligatr started to fall over, but it managed to stay standing.

"Wow, not bad Lyra, Feraligatr's stamina has sure improved," complimented Kyle.

Lyra smiled at the comment, but wasn't going to give up that easily. "Thanks, but this isn't over yet!" she replied. "Feraligatr, Waterfall!" Feraligatr started to cloak himself in water, readying an attack which could not only hurt Quilava when launched, but also protect himself from any physical attacks, due to the amount of water.

"Quilava, Quick Attack!" Quilava launched himself in a quick sprint, aiming for Feraligatr's head, which wasn't covered with water. Kyle always taught him to use any opening the enemy has to his advantage.

Feraligatr's attack was barely ready when Quilava the attack connected. Feraligatr fell back from the impact of the Quick Attack. Not wanting to see his trainer disappointed, Feraligatr attempted to stand back up.

Lyra looked at Kyle. This was only a sparring match; Pokémon could be pushed to their limits but the main idea was to improve the Pokémon's attacks and abilities, as opposed to knocking out the opposing Pokémon. It was the perfect time to stop, any more and Feraligatr would be injured more than they could heal with their medical knowledge.

Kyle nodded at Lyra. This was more than enough, Feraligatr was a strong Pokémon, but a few more hits could do more harm than good.

Lyra ran towards her Pokémon, applying potions to the scarred areas, healing them instantly.

Kyle did the same for Quilava. Quilava gave him a look that seemed to ask 'how did I do'.Kyle smiled. "You did great, I'm so proud of you." Glancing at Lyra, who has just returned Feraligatr into his Pokéball, he said: "Great work, you've definitely improved since the last battle."

Lyra gave Kyle a thankful look. "Thanks, but you're still better, I guess that I'm just not the battling type," It was true. Lyra's main interest was in contests. Her experience in battling was gained through Kyle's coaching and watching Kyle in gym battles.

"I wouldn't be so sure, if that Surf hit, Quilava would have fainted." Quilava nodded in approval. "Give yourself some credit, with that kind of power and grace, you'll win the grand festival for sure." Kyle never rubbed in a loss, it was just bad sportsmanship. Lyra did great, he had to admit that.

"Thanks." Kyle was just better at battling, she could accept the loss. She always focused on the grace and beauty of her Pokémon, rather than the raw power of their moves. She and Kyle made a good team, he taught her to battle, and she gave him a few pointers as well.

Looking at his watch, Kyle said "It's time for lunch, we're still far from Sunnyshore City, perhaps we should camp out here." They were on their way to the eighth Sinnoh gym, to get Kyle's last badge. It was still three hours walk away, lunch could wait, but after a battle like that, they both needed a break.

"Okay." replied Lyra, she definitely needed the rest.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long to set the table. Both Kyle and Lyra weren't picky when it came to food.<p>

They had already let out their Pokémon, Quilava and Feraligatr were napping on the rocky outcrops. Kyle decided to let them sleep, they needed the rest.

Kyle was making some soup. He wasn't much of a chef, but his food was better than anything Lyra cooked.

Lyra was out in the woods, probably training Glaceon. Her other Pokémon were playing with his. They probably needed to relax after a day of training.

Looking at them play, Kyle began to reminiscent on his past.

* * *

><p>Most trainers challenge their local league on their first year. Kyle was one of these enthusiastic teenagers. At the age of 10, the youngest age to become a Pokémon trainer, he left New Bark Town with his very first Pokémon, Cyndaquil.<p>

He ploughed through the gyms in Johto. His goal was clear, to win the Silver Conference. His Pokémon were trained, trained and further trained to the point of mastery. Gym leaders offered a challenge, but were barely an obstacle. When he finally defeated Clair at the Blackthorn Gym, he knew that he was ready, ready to be crowned Pokémon Master.

He got through the preliminary rounds of the Conference without breaking a sweat, then the semi-finals. Yet his opponent in the final round proved to be a tough foe.

What was his name now? Ah yes, it was Jordan. This 18 year-old man was from Hoenn, Kyle's battle with him was difficult, to say the least. Kyle's team was static, a well trained team of six balanced Pokémon, each's elemental type complementing the next one. His opponent had a team of six Pokémon Kyle had never seen before. He managed to exploit Kecleon's colour change ability before it managed to cause any harm, and by sheer guesswork managed to work out Shedinja's Wonder Guard. The battle seemed done; Kyle had three Pokémon remaining while Jordan had only one left. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

"Go, Salamance!"

Jordan managed to eliminate Kyle's Meganium and Pidgeot without losing any hitpoints. Kyle's hope rested upon Cyndaquil's shoulders. Admittedly, Kyle's chances of winning were dramatically reduced now.

"Go, Cyndaquil!" Kyle threw out his final Pokémon. As Cyndaquil materialized, he flinched as he saw his opponent, a dragon which was more than a few times larger than the tiny, pint-sized fire mouse.

"Don't give in to fear, Cyndaquil. Remember that you're the best I've got." Kyle knew that Cyndaquil would win, if he managed to think of something, fast. Cyndaquil trusted him, and thus ignited the fire on his back.

Cyndaquil was no match for the dragon type. In either size or power, they were two worlds apart. Jordan seemed to know that too. He was going to end this.

"Dragon Breath!"

"Dodge it! Then use Flamethrower!"

Salamance shot an emerald jet of flame out of its mouth. Cyndaquil dodged, and prepared to launch a counterattack. Just as he opened his mouth, he was blown back by the shockwave emitted by the jet of dragon energy.

"Cyndaquil, no!"

"Zen Headbutt" Salamance's head began to glow brightly. Once it reached the point of blinding light, it began to fly towards Cyndaquil. Jordan was experienced, he knew better than to underestimate a trainer. This boy had to be strong to get this far. He didn't believe in luck, it was just too unreliable.

Salamance crashed mercilessly into Cyndaquil, head first, causing the ground to crack. When the dragon flew away, a small ashen figure was seen inside the crater, struggling to stand up. Jordan gasped as Cyndaquil got to its feet. How could he have taken that hit without fainting?

"What? Use Zen Headbutt again! Full power!" Jordan knew that if the attack hit, Cyndaquil would be out of the match.

Kyle began to panic, he knew that Cyndaquil was now close to the limit of his endurance, he had to dodge. "Get out of there! Hurry!"

Cyndaquil stood up, but instead of fleeing, began to glow in a white light. Salamance stopped the attack, and the sounds of cheering in the audience were temporarily silenced. This event wasn't very rare, but each time it happened, it was always a sight worth seeing.

Cyndaquil was evolving. His body began to change, undergoing a metamorphosis of mystical means. Cyndaquil's body became larger, as well as longer. When the light disappeared, what was once a Cyndaquil was now a Quilava.

Quilava opened his eyes, glanced at Kyle, and gave a grin.

The two had developed a certain kinship during their many months of travelling, Kyle bonded better with Cyndaquil than any other on his team. Kyle didn't have to check his Pokédex, he knew what Quilava wanted to tell him.

"Eruption!" said Kyle, calling out one of the strongest fire-type attacks available.

Quilava's flame upon his head turned itself into an inferno, a charged blast of heat which, when unleashed, could do serious damage.

Jordan was obviously surprised by Quilava's fast recovery and retaliation. Quick to respond, Jordan gave Salamance the order. "Quick, Dragon Claw!"

Salamance's claw turned purple, and he began the flight towards Quilava. He was fast, and let out roars which would intimidate even the fiercest of Pokémon.

Quilava knew better than to divert his attention to Salamance. He continued to keep the heat charged up at maximum power. His endurance was pushed to the limit. Eruption is an attack that does damage directly proportional to the user's current condition, therefore limiting the damage that would be done by Quilava. Kyle knew what to do.

Salamance was getting closer. His claw was now cloaked in an emerald flame, infused with dragon's power. A long range shot may not cause Salamance to take much damage, but a point-blank blast could just be able to bring Salamance down.

"Now!" Kyle knew that he had to time the attack perfectly. The trust between trainer and Pokémon was put to the test in battles like this. When a Pokémon had to concentrate on an attack, it relied on the trainer to give the command.

Quilava unleashed the volcanic blast of molten lava just as Salamance got into range. That was it, nothing could leave that blast unscathed, and nothing could possibly stay standing after that.

_No. This can't be._

As the smoke cleared, Salamance was hovering right in front of Quilava, the Dragon Claw attack having absorbed the power of the blast.

"No," said Kyle under his breath.

Salamance slashed down, without mercy.

"No, Quilava!" Kyle rushed towards the field. Quilava let out a final, spirit-filled growl, only to drop down due to exhaustion.

Quilava fell slowly.

As Quilava hit the ground, the referee declared Jordan the winner, as well as the victor of the Silver Conference. Applause erupted around the stadium, possibly even the world.

Kyle didn't hear any of it. His focus was solely on Quilava's neck. Right where Salamance slashed was a deep cut. A bright scarlet droplet slowly melted away from the cut.

* * *

><p>"I failed them all, Professor."<p>

It was after the battle, at what time exactly, Kyle couldn't remember. As soon as the battle ended, Kyle had rushed straight to the Pokémon centre. Quilava was in critical condition. After a few hours operation, the medical team had managed to stabilize his condition. Looking at his unconscious partner, Kyle concludes one thing.

"I've failed them."

"No, you haven't dialed anyone. You did great, Kyle. A loss like this is something you should be proud of." The professor has seen many trainers fail, and they had all felt bad after the loss. However, none of them had come as close as Kyle had.

Kyle was on the phone with Professor Elm, the very same man who had given him Cyndaquil, therefore starting him on his journey. On his belt were five Pokéballs, Quilava was still in the Intensive Care Unit.

"It's still a loss,-" Kyle said as he was cut off.

"No, Kyle, by losing, you also learn something. You really should be proud of yourself. No ten-year old has ever come this close to winning a league, ever." The same lecture he gave other trainers was not going to work. Kyle was more mature than the others, forced by the absence of a father in his family.

Kyle had to admit, the professor made a lot of sense, but he came this close, one last obstacle to overcome, and he would have been the one to be crowned Pokémon Master.

Either way, losing wasn't what troubled him the most, and neither was what he lost, let it be pride or honor. It was why he lost.

His massive database-like knowledge of Pokémon was a massive asset in all his battles. He got this far through strategies, simple to complex, easy to hard. However, Jordan's Pokémon were entirely new to him. A few guesses cost him a lot more than he wished for, but he still preserved.

But Salamance, Salamance was pure power. Meganium's Light Screen shield didn't even hold up against his Dragon Breath attack, and Pidgeot's speed was hampered by the unexpected Stone Edge attack.

Kyle hoped that the professor would have an answer for him as he confessed. "I guess I just have trouble losing to something I didn't even know about."

"I would feel the same too, but your journey just passed its first year. Why don't you think about what you want to do next, you've got a whole life ahead of you," said Professor Elm. He added with a grin, "Don't waste it."

"Sure, thanks professor." Kyle turned off the phone and watched as the screen turned black. What did he want to do next? He walked towards the waiting bench outside Quilava's room.

His head felt heavy as the fatigue of the day kicked in. He still wonders how long he dozed off. He only came to his senses as the now recovered Quilava twitched his ear.

"Quilava?" Kyle's query was answered by a growl, followed by a nod. The sun had already rose outside. He must have slept through the night.

Replaying the events of the day, tears began to form in Kyle's eyes. He couldn't help but notice the scar on Quilava's neck. He hugged Quilava, thanking him for everything he had done. Quilava instinctively returned the gesture. The bond between the two was strong, very strong.

Kyle didn't notice the tall, strong figure approaching them.

"You're Kyle right?" asked a familiar voice.

Kyle turned to face the tall figure behind him. The same person who had defeated him that very afternoon was standing right behind him. He was wearing a casual T-shirt, as opposed to the jacket and overalls he wore during the battle.

"Yeah, I'm Kyle." He knew that this man was not going to rub in the wounds formed through the loss. He just didn't seem the type.

"Thanks for the battle this afternoon, you're going to win the Champion League, I'm sure of it." Accepting his loss, Kyle gave the man the congratulations he deserved.

"Thanks. I'm most amazed by the bond between you and your Quilava. There seems to be a certain spark between you two." Jordan continued, "I believe you two have been travelling since the beginning, am I right."

"Yes." Kyle replied while rubbing Quilava's head. Quilava growled in satisfaction. "I never saw it as strange though. I always thought that the bond between trainer and starter would be the strongest.

Jordan could see that this young boy was intrigued by his point of view. "That's true. However, I notice that you have bonded extremely well with your Quilava, as your other Pokémon." His words were sincere; he has never seen a trainer bond this well with his Pokémon, never mind a young boy like this.

"Really?" Kyle looked up, as Quilava did as well.

The older trainer nodded. "Yes. The same bond is what made Quilava evolve." He gave the boy a smile. "It takes a long time to nurture this bond, but when maximized, Pokémon will be pushed pass their maximum potential."

Jordan sat beside Kyle and Quilava. He could see that the two were extremely absorbed in what he had to say. Quilava lied lazily on Kyle's knees. "It took me years to understand this, but I never managed to master it." Jordan looked straight at the boy, and said "you should be able to, I know it."

Kyle never knew what to say. Here was the trainer who defeated him, telling him that he could be better. Nothing could possibly cheer him up more. Neither did he expect the trainer's next offer.

"How would you like to go to Hoenn?"

* * *

><p>They've practiced this for a long time. They had to get this right.<p>

"Glaceon, use Barrier."

Glaceon, upon hearing Lyra's command, focused here energy on creating a shield around her body. In moments, her body was covered in a topaz aura.

Here comes the hard part. "Glaceon, Quick Attack."

This was a complicated maneuver. Barrier is an attack meant to increase a Pokémon's defense. The combination Lyra was practicing required Glaceon to break free from the boundary of the shield, while still maintaining it.

Quick Attack isn't the fastest move, but Kyle's tutoring managed to make it just fast enough for what Lyra had in mind. Sometimes.

Glaceon made sure the shield would hold, the unleashed a burst of blinding speed to leave the shield. Once she got out, Glaceon braked gracefully. Right behind her, was the slowly dissolving aura, still in her shape.

Timing was everything here. Lyra's earlier attempts failed simply because she gave the next command too quickly, or too slow.

Now!

"Blizzard!"

Timing the shot just perfectly, Glaceon breathed in and unleashed a blast of sub-zero temperature air. The attack centered on the blurring figure, then wrapped itself around the shape.

"Ice Beam!"

Their most recent attempts have failed because Blizzard was only in gaseous form. Ice Beam, as Kyle said, could sublimate, giving Blizzard a solid form.

"Let's hope this works," said Lyra under her breath.

Glaceon fired off a ray of sapphire energy from her mouth. The zigzagging beam approached the form of gas and crashed straight into it.

The result was absolutely beautiful. Where Glaceon stood at the beginning now stood an ice copy of her. The sunlight's rays shone through the translucent ice, causing it to shine as if it was almost alive.

Glaceon looked at her masterpiece. Satisfied with herself, she allowed herself a calm, victorious grin. She finally did it, practice does make perfect.

"You did great, Glaceon." Lyra said as she walked towards the fox-like Pokémon. Lyra was always proud that her Pokémon managed to effortlessly present themselves with a grace and beauty which was wholly engrossing.

Lyra never expected to get this far, she was now well on her way to becoming a top coordinator.

She always had a dream, to be a coordinator. She always found herself amazed by how coordinators managed to make their Pokémon shine, bringing out the best in any one of them.

However, she wasn't without her faults. She has a bad case of stage fright. Her previous experiences were things she didn't want to talk about. It was a weird merger of personality and ambition.

She was a year younger than Kyle. They were both childhood playmates, possibly the best of friends, but that was all it was, and all it would be.

She always felt sad that Kyle lost in the Silver Conference. She always thought that Kyle would emerge victorious. She never expected Kyle to come visiting her, with a smile on his face. She couldn't see a shadow of grief in Kyle's eyes.

Kyle was there with a proposition, on she would find hard to resist.

"You're starting on your journey this year, right?" asked Kyle. She just celebrated her tenth birthday two weeks ago, just as Kyle won the semi-finals of the Silver Conference.

As she nodded, Kyle continued. "You've always wanted to be a coordinator, right?"

Kyle was one of the few who knew about her dreams. Why bring up the subject now?

"How about following me to Hoenn?" Kyle asked. He knew for sure that Lyra would agree, she just couldn't resist the chance.

And sure enough, she did. That was the gateway to her dreams. Contests wouldn't be held in Johto for years to come, and Hoenn was the birthplace of Pokémon Contests. The choice was made before she even knew it. Asking for permission was easy, and so was her choice of starter. The Totodile was just too cute to ignore. It was pumped full of life, and would eventually become Lyra's best Pokémon.

She knew her goal, to win the Hoenn Grand Festival. Kyle's goal was the unclear one. His training regime was focused more on getting closer to his Pokémon than improving their battle capabilities. He also battled many trainers, caught many Pokémon, and spent more time training his newly caught Pokémon, which he sent back to Professor Elm nearing the end of their short-lived, yet fruitful training.

What's complicated is that Kyle challenged gyms, but wasn't going to challenge the Ever Grande Conference. What's the point in collecting badges, or even going on this journey in the first place?

Lyra never understood, "Why not?" she asked with curiosity.

"You'll understand soon. Trust me."Always the secretive one, Kyle let her find out the answer for herself. Lyra now thinks that Kyle expected everything to unfold naturally.

She eventually understood. Her first contest was a massive failure. Stage fright combined with inexperience literally brought her to her knees. She didn't even get past the appeal round. If not for Kyle, she wouldn't have continued.

"You know, contests are more about the Pokémon than the trainer." Kyle said to her when they camped out the night after the contest. Kyle saw her showing herself off, rather than Totodile. It wasn't clear to him on how contests worked, but he was sure that the Pokémon are what's meant to be shown off.

"What do you know?" Lyra was still embarrassed about her debut, throwing tantrums were part of the acceptance.

"I know that you've fallen, you just need to stand back up." Kyle said with a smile. "I've fallen too, you know. Even when you keep falling, you make it a step further."

Lyra looked at the Kyle who was barely a year older than her. It seemed that there was more than just a year's difference between them. Kyle was obviously the more mature of the two. He had a different mindset to everything.

"Thanks," said Lyra, letting the tears flow. She never understood how Kyle could say the right things, at the right time. Kyle just had the fast thinking mind that made people feel good to be beside him.

" I'll help you with your combinations , if you need me." Kyle pulled her up. She never knew how to thank Kyle. He helped her a lot, and eventually, she won her first ribbon, the Slateport City Ribbon.

She got better in contests, and while she lost in her three grand festivals, she knew that this was the year she was going to emerge victorious.

Kyle wasn't going to try the tournament because he didn't want to win it, he wanted to ace it, and he wanted to win without breaking a sweat, without making his Pokémon face another loss.

And somehow, Lyra knew that he was going to do it. He definitely was going to win.

* * *

><p>In a meadow, both of them were playing.<p>

An evil smile the one who watched them. "Now."

A blur leaped from of the tip of the nearby hill. After a moment's stunned silence, a nightmare broke loose.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**That's chapter 1, hope you liked it. If you did, spread the word. If you didn't, leave a comment or PM me, telling me what I did wrong, and how I can fix the flaws.**

**I love writing, that's just what I do. This fic will be completed, that's a promise. I'm currently getting closer to the exams, but I can guarantee you an update by 16****th**** of October. Even so, I might just update earlier, the next chapter is almost finished, I just need to finalise it.**

**Once again, thanks for reading, and please review. I read all of them, even if I don't reply to all of them. It'll be a lot of help.**

_**Xuan Yin.**_


	2. Unleashed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.  
><strong>

**Author Notes:**

**An update at last, well, I won't bore you with my thoughts, let the story begin.**

**PS: I changed my style a little bit, by suggestion of ARCEUS-master and Mekon. Thanks again guys.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>His sister was now lying on the ground, hurt by a barrage of seemingly endless attacks. Their opponent was not one to be underestimated. This was no normal Pokémon. It was much stronger than anything else they have seen before. It managed to single handedly eliminate them both. His sister was badly injured. All he could do was watch as she took the brunt of the assailant's attacks. After what seemed an eternity, she managed to turn around to face him, giving him what could have been her last wish. What she did was her last hope. She gave him a look, the look that could only mean one thing.<p>

_Get help._

* * *

><p>"All right Gabite, try to use Aerial Ace on that tree." Kyle was training his newly caught Pokémon, a Gabite whom he found in the caves on route 210. Gabite was strong and had great potential. However, it had a certain phobia when it came to speed. This was ironic, seeing as Gabite are one of the fastest Pokémon species. He was training Gabite to overcome that fear. Gabite already had amazing power and defense, once it gained control over his agility, he would be one of Kyle's most powerful addition to his team.<p>

When Kyle found Gabite at first, he was not really a outstanding Pokémon, Gabite were territorial Pokémon, never straying into unfamiliar grounds, and protecting their own till the final breath left their lungs. Kyle's Gabite was one eerie presence in his pack. He was the harbinger of his group, the luminary of his fraternity. Kyle's Gabite led his group well. His group not only survived, but thrived in the arid conditions. A day came when he came face to face with a Garchomp, his evolved form. Kyle only knew that Gabite left his pack, probably because he was defeated by the Garchomp, Kyle took Gabite in when he saw him wandering across the plains, being a nomad. Gabite wouldn't accept Kyle's help at first, but he eventually submitted.

Teaching Gabite Aerial Ace was a risky initiative. Gabite's revulsion to speed was at odds to the swiftness required, and further increased by Aerial Ace. If Gabite learned this move, he would cure his aversion of briskness. Or in a worst case scenario, he would detest the simple mention of quickness.

Kyle's Gabite glanced back at his trainer. His stomach wrenching within, he knew that Kyle wouldn't force him to do anything risky, but all the same, it was best to get confirmation. Kyle was giving the Dragon-type a confident look. Kyle knew that things would go well, Gabite had already managed to keep his eyes open during the fast glides, and he was already able to gain thrust while flying.

"You can do it." Kyle said.

That was all Kyle needed to say, Gabite jumped straight into the air, held its arms wide, and began to soar gracefully in the sky. Kyle had this thing about him, an attribute which seemed to make those around him strive for superiority in whatever they did. Gabite attempted to make the tree his focal point. Once it became his centre of attention, he began to approach the makeshift target at a brisk pace.

Once the downwards glide began, Gabite held his arms in, taking a stance where the wind no longer opposed, but rather aided him. His speed, already fast, was increased to an even greater stage. By then, Gabite was so fast that Kyle had to focus just to see him.

Aerial Ace was a complex move, to say the least. It was easy to learn, but hard to master. While many Pokémon could learn this move, what made Aerial Ace unique was its impeccable accuracy. It never misses, ignoring the adversary's evasiveness.

It took more than just willpower to become proficient with the attack. While accuracy was key, it took more than just mastery of that element to get the maneuver. In most cases, it was not how fast the Pokémon could move, nor how good its aim was; it was how the trainer chose to use the move which decided Aerial Ace's practicality and usefulness.

Kyle taught Quilava the move for subterfuge. However, during the Quilava's training, Kyle saw the Aerial Ace's versatility. It gave the user such a significant speed boost that it practically had immeasurable possibilities. During battles, Kyle saw that the move allowed Quilava to not only dodge, but also augment his speed for a short window of a moment. While using moves like Flamethrower and Eruption which required charging to maximize their damage, Aerial Ace allowed Quilava to siphon seconds off the charge time, allowing him to utilize the attack sooner than otherwise expected by his opponent.

Lyra, on the other hand, used her Pidgeot's Aerial Ace to show grace and finesse in the Flying-type. Pidgeot's variation of Aerial Ace was deliberately slower, meant to show off the bird, rather than to assail. Kyle has seen more variety in Aerial Ace than any other move. Some Pokémon instinctively knew how to use the move. Flying-types simply used their beaks as the weapon. However, when the user had no beak to speak of, it took a bit of imagination to utilize Aerial Ace.

Quilava simply used his snout as the hitting point. Gabite was a harder case, Kyle taught him the move not to improve his speed, but to overcome fear. When it came to hitting the target, Kyle managed to find a suitable way to hit the target.

Gabite glided swiftly towards the target. Once he got in range, Gabite spread his arms wide, decelerating right in front of the tree. Once he got into an apt position, Gabite used his razor sharp fins to slice the tree into pieces.

As Gabite landed on the ground, Kyle looked at his Pokémon. He has definitely improved a lot since they first began practicing. Kyle was pleased by how all his Pokémon gave it their all when it came to workouts.

"Perfect Gabite," Kyle's routine was simple, he gave compliments when deserved, an encouragement where desired. "You did great," Kyle was sincere in his acclaims, however, the fact remained that Gabite was not using his full potential, Gabite was holding back, for better or worse.

"Why are you afraid, Gabite?" Kyle asked, not expecting an answer. Gabite's roars meant nothing to him. Kyle knew that Gabite would conquer his dislike for speed, whether he wanted to or not. Kyle never knew what formed the anxiety which tied up Gabite's guts every time he thought of haste, maybe Kyle would never know. However, what Kyle wanted the most was to help Gabite attain the immunity to fear. But how would he do that?

Perhaps all he needed was to push Gabite further, not by any considerable amount, just by a slight bit, enough to push Gabite beyond his current limits.

Kyle called his Meganium over. Gabite was now going to practice against a moving target.

Meganium was the first Pokémon Kyle ever caught on his five years of journeying. Back then, it was just a Chikorita, a weak one. Her original trainer abandoned her, this made her stubborn. It was feeble when it came to battling, but that didn't keep her from trying to be better. Attempts that seemed futile never looked that way to her. She confronted every passerby, challenging them to a battle. These battles mostly ended in Chikorita's defeat, and what made things worse was the challenged trainer's craving for a rare Pokémon.

Chikorita may have been weak physically, but she more than made up for that mentally. She never gave in when the Pokéball flew towards her. She would hold on until the Pokéball shook thrice, normally indication a successful catch. Only then would the Pokéball explode, overwhelmed by her desire to stay free, never to be held captive.

Chikorita's injuries were never life threatening, but they still hurt. She never ate berries, a natural source of healing. Instead she relied on her own strength. Her Synthesis move managed to heal her. Slowly, but eventually, she would get back on her feet, ready to challenge yet another battler.

When Kyle walked pass her territory that fateful day, Chikorita leaped out, shouting taunts at the unwary trainer. Kyle never even thought about accepting, even without looking he could see that the Chikorita was extremely tired. She was worn out that day, not in the best of conditions. Her previous battle scars have not been fully healed; she was exhausted, close to the point of collapse. Kyle instinctively declined her offer to battle.

She saw Kyle's rejection as exasperation, an aggravation. She didn't care that Kyle didn't want to battle. Her bitterness towards humans caused her to act recklessly. She tackled the only thing which was in her sight, Kyle himself.

Normally, Kyle would have taken the brunt of the attack without falling. However, Chikorita put so much power and hatred into the Tackle attack that it knocked him over. The attack hit Chikorita back with recoil. She was blown back by the kickback caused by the attack. She tried to get back up, but fatigue kicked in, causing her to black out.

Kyle knew that Chikorita was in critical condition. He intended to send her to the nearest Pokémon Centre, which was unfortunately located miles away. Kyle ended up healing her himself. His healing prowess wasn't infallible, he's improved, but back then he was still learning. He barely started off his journey, in fact it was just after his first gym battle.

Chikorita wasn't cooperative; her adamant nature caused her to despise the sheer touch of Kyle's hands. She always refused the Oran Berries which Kyle gave her, choosing to heal through Synthesis. She never managed to get well, the tiredness, combined with the energy required for Synthesis to work, made her predicament even worse.

Any sane trainer would have yielded right there. But Kyle preserved, and eventually attained Chikorita's hard earned trust. In the end, Chikorita became one of Kyle's best Pokémon. She excelled not in offense, but in defense. Even as she evolved, Kyle used her Light Screen and Reflect to bolster his team's defense; rarely using her Solarbeam unless absolutely necessary.

As Meganium came over, Kyle told it to activate its Reflect shield. This would protect it from any residual damage by halving the damage done by Physical attacks, which included Gabite's Aerial Ace. Though that really wasn't entirely necessary, Gabite knew enough to reduce the impact of the attack.

As Meganium bound herself in a white outline, a circular, iridescent shield materialized around her. The shield was anything but fragile, it could hold up against the strongest of attacks. Kyle has seen the shield stop Giga Impact attacks in their tracks. Meganium has grown since the days spent drowning in despair, that's for sure.

Kyle gave the command. "Gabite, use Aerial Ace. Try to hit Meganium."

Gabite gave his trainer a nod. He craved to be one with haste, but it was not as simple as it looked. The event that happened years ago still caused his stomach to knot itself whenever he exceeded a certain speed limit. He wanted badly to tell Kyle, but the language barrier was a large gap which would not be easily crossable.

Gabite launched himself up into the air, just like before. His fear wasn't entirely quelled, but that didn't mean that he was slow. By Gabite standards, he was slightly slower, but he averaged as a fast Pokémon. To Kyle that meant a lot. Gabite may not be able to outrun Flying-types, but he still managed to get the drop on slower Pokémon like Tyranitar and Empoleon. With slight luck, he could even be faster than Pokémon like Fearow and Staraptor, who were considered fast.

Gabite began the descent, quickly converging on Meganium.

Kyle ordered Meganium to begin running. Meganium was not a fast Pokémon; add her large size and she became an easy target. Kyle managed to overcome this shortcoming by doing the same thing soldiers did in battlefields. Running in seemingly random zigzagging patterns made Meganium a hard to hit target. Gabite was having a hard time keeping up with Meganium's movement. He began to dive, gaining a speed boost in the process. Unfortunately, this boost would be counter reactive if the user didn't manage to get a clear, straight flight path towards their mark. Gabite began to tremble while beginning the downwards soar. His slight shivers soon turned into a shudder, causing Gabite to shudder and crash headfirst into the ground.

"Gabite!" Kyle ran towards Gabite, seeing his Pokémon take damage which could have been avoided. He never liked to let his team take damage which could otherwise be averted. Kyle saw Gabite struggle to stand. He almost flinched at seeing this. Kyle took Gabite's arm and helped him up. Gabite gave Kyle an appreciative look, obviously thankful for the help.

"You came close, Gabite." Kyle was undeniably proud that Gabite managed to improve enough to hit stationary targets. He just fell short of perfection, nothing a little training would fail to change. "You did great."

Gabite smiled at the comments, and he saw Meganium giving him an encouraging look, which made him less concerned about the pain in his calf.

Kyle knew that his Pokémon were always helping each other out, and he was glad of that. He returned to the campsite, the stew he was making would boil soon.

* * *

><p><em>Get help.<em>

His sister's words still rung clear in his ears, it was fifteen minutes since he left his sister's side, in the search of help. He could have got to the nearby city, but the extent of his injuries would have made him the target of those obsessed with catching a rare Pokémon, never mind a legendary.

In his invisible form, Latios watched the boy. Could this boy be the one he was searching for, the 'help' he desperately needed? Latias was in grave danger, the mysterious Pokémon managed to take out him and his sister, two strong legendary Pokémon, commonly referred to as deities. They barely had a chance.

Latios knew that he needed to get assistance soon. Latias wouldn't hold up against the dark Pokémon's attacks for long.

Could he trust this boy? He treated his Pokémon as friends, rather than tools. He also wanted to help his Gabite overcome his fear. Normally, he would have run straight up to the boy, begging for help. Today, however, he embraced a certain sense of caution, understandable considering what he'd just been through.

Tentatively, he moved forward.

* * *

><p>Kyle just served his stew to the gang. The Pokémon enjoyed eating Kyle's cooking. It just had a natural taste to it, unlike the Pokémon food served in the Pokémon Centres. Once Kyle said that the food was ready, both his and Lyra's Pokémon ran straight to their bowls, which Kyle had set on the ground near the table.<p>

Lyra's training regime was had a slightly more different vibe than Kyle's. Where Kyle trained all his Pokémon every day, Lyra preferred to focus on polishing a single Pokémon's moves. Rather than concretely copying Kyle's style, she carved her own.

Kyle's job was to keep an eye on Lyra's Pokémon. Kyle's had a four year hiatus from Pokémon League conferences. He challenged the gyms from every region he went to, including a full reliving of the Johto path when Lyra wanted to try out the contests on her home turf.

It's been four years since the lost in the finals, Kyle was now fifteen years old. Even after Hoenn, he continued to head to Kanto, and then Sinnoh, which was where he was now. He knew that this was the year, the year he won the Sinnoh League. It was time to put those years of learning and training to good use. He already acquired seven badges, only the Beacon Badge, which he would earn in the Sunnyshore City gym. That was the last obstacle he had to pass before he reached his goal, the Sinnoh Lily of the Valley Conference.

The sun was beginning to set, perhaps it was time to go get Lyra. Kyle ordered Quilava to follow. He always preferred to have a companion around. Being alone wasn't scary, but it sure was better to have a friend nearby. Especially when Lyra hid in the most obscure of places during her training.

Kyle loved helping Lyra out, Lyra perfectly supplemented his personality. Lyra had a habit of making sure her new combinations were kept under the covers during formulation. She liked to keep a 'wow' factor when her performances debuted. Her combinations definitely worked all the time, she had a certain knack for thinking up awesome combinations. Watching her contests, or even her practices, was a treat. There was always something new to see, something fresh which he never witnessed before. That was the best part of travelling with Lyra, it also served as a reminder of the fun of training Pokémon.

Quilava walked over nonchalantly. Kyle grabbed his backpack and began to stride into the forests. Kyle turned back, wanting to remind the Pokémon to stay put. Suddenly, Lyra's Azumarill began to shout out loud. What could have happened?

* * *

><p>She heard something, she knew it.<p>

Lyra's Azumarill was savoring Kyle's stew, until she heard a sound come from the bushes. Someone, or something, was watching them. The other Pokémon didn't hear anything. That was one of the perks you get when you have sensitive hearing. Kyle was getting ready to leave. She had to warn him, soon.

"Azu! Azumarill!" Her voice was filled with urgency and distress. Kyle had to hear her, this could be a very dangerous matter.

Kyle looked back. Azumarill was shouting, while pointing the bushes under the tree. Was there something inside the foliage, something watching them?

Kyle rummaged through the shrubbery, hoping to uncover what Azumarill sensed. He found nothing, but Azumarill was still implying that there was something. Perhaps it was invisible, transparent to human eyes.

Kyle looked around to see if his Staraptor was nearby. There he was, resting right on a nearby tree. Kyle gave Staraptor an order, one that would make everything clear. "Staraptor, use Foresight."

Foresight was a move which would increase a Pokémon's accuracy. Apart from that, it also had an added effect which could make Ghost types, which were normally in a semi-gaseous form, immune to Normal type attacks and ethereal, visible and vulnerable.

Staraptor flew upwards, using a form Kyle created which would also intimidate an opponent. Staraptor stretched his wings wide, blocking the sunlight with his entire body. Staraptor's eyes began to glow red, then unleashed a beam of blinding light which would reveal anything that was hiding in plain sight.

As the light shone above the bush, Kyle saw a very slight refraction of light. So slight that he wouldn't have even seen it if he wasn't paying attention.. Something was watching them, but what?

Before Kyle could react, the refracted light disappeared. Nothing could have defined the surprise that Kyle felt as he looked at the obscured Pokémon. He didn't feel fear; rather, he felt respect and awe.

What the thing turned out to be revealed itself.

All Kyle could manage was a "wow." White and blue appeared where there was nothing before. The thing was a Pokémon, and not just any normal Pokémon.

Standing in front of Kyle was a Latios.

* * *

><p>Latias took on her transparent form. This might have been her only chance of survival. This enemy, what was it? If it was a Pokémon, it was one she never seen before. She was sure of one thing, this Pokémon was well trained. No, that's not right, it was just strong. There was a difference between fighting a captured Pokémon and battling a wild one. Each situation had their share of pros and cons. A Pokémon with a trainer would have ability and skill directly proportional to their master's aptitude and dedication. Through a trainer's guidance even the most paltry Pokémon could become a force to be reckoned with. Having a trainer did have a certain catch though. When a Pokémon got accustomed to a trainer's coaching, it tended to over rely on the trainer's orders, rather than their own reflexes to dodge. This had a certain bright side to it though, a trainer had a view of the whole field during a battle. An experienced trainer would make a better call than a Pokémon in most situations.<p>

However, being a wild Pokémon had it's benefits. When it came to battles, wild Pokémon held their own better. They would have a higher self-esteem than a captured Pokémon, therefore trusting their instincts more than anything. Their gut response was often right, and even when it was wrong, they had no one to blame but themselves. When most trainers capture a Pokémon, they find that it has a habit of being disobedient, preferring to rely on it's own intimate choices during a battle. The first barrier a trainer had to break was this one, a higher leveled Pokémon would expect a higher standard from a trainer. While badges are accepted to be a good indicator of skill, it was the trainer's own sophistication that made their Pokémon trust them. Besides, what good does a badge do if the Pokémon doesn't even know what it is?

The Pokémon which attacked the Eon duo was another matter entirely. It managed to dodge every single attack Latios and Latias threw without fail, and even tactics like unpredictability were useless. When Latias shot a ball of Dragon energy towards the Pokémon, hoping to lure it into Latios' line of fire, their foe managed to dodge the right way. Even when Latias' Mist Ball attack was active, causing the opponent to lose sight, it simply hid until it dissipated, making the attack, which was extremely powerful, pointless.

_Where was he, where was Latios?_

The Pokémon was slowly strafing around the meadow. It was highly intelligent, it knew that its Night Slash attack had incapacitated Latias, having struck her wings. She could risk moving away, but taking that chance might mean detection, especially since she couldn't fly at her ordinarily swift speeds. The Pokémon was definitely acute, capitalizing their every wrong move and exploiting every loophole in their attacks. Who, no, _what_ was this thing, it was nothing short of a monster, armed with a blood lust which would be the end of her. She needed to try something soon, but what? Every move she could use would be counteractive. Attacking was out of the question, the Pokémon had proven to be very slippery when it came to a frontal assault.

She might be able to get away with using Wish, a move that would heal her, but the time needed for Wish to take effect would be catastrophic. Add that with the fact that Wish had a spell like effect which would cause her to shine brightly, temporarily losing her guise, meant that it was inconceivable that she could get away.

But she had to try.

Latias focused her psychic energies on the restorative elements, forcing them to shower her in their rejuvenating glow. As she began to gain a green aura, the Pokémon looked her way. She could swear that there was a smile on its face. Wish took time to take effect, the same amount of time it took to get an attacking chance. Latias knew that both Dragon Pulse and Psychic wouldn't do much, but the Pokemon was accumulating dark energies in its palms. The purple glow already felt familiar, it was a Dark Pulse attack. If the hit landed, Latias would be out of the game. She had two options, attempt to use Psychic and overwhelm the dark energy coursing through the monster's palm, or use Mist Ball to mask her movements, giving Wish time to work its magic.

Psychic type moves were weak against Dark types, she picked option two, the more practical of the two.

She began to assemble a ball of fog right above herself. Her attack took less time than Dark Pulse to gain ample size and power. As Mist Ball was finished, Latias drove the large globe shaped cloud straight down and right into herself. Mist Ball had two uses; one was to hit the opponent with a ball of gas turned solid. It had the added effects of making the hit Pokémon weaker in terms of defense and clouding the battlefield in almost opaque vapor. There was also one less known fact, Mist Ball's smog also increased the potency of any attack that passes through it. The catch was that the opponent could also abuse the damage boost by using its own attacks in the mist against the user.

Latias felt the soothing energy fill her veins. Wish was beginning to take effect, but the Pokémon was silent. Nothing moved in the fog, it was silent.

_Too silent._

Just as she completed her strain of thought, dark rings began to hit her, hard.

The Pokemon was very cunning. It knew that Mist Ball would cloud its vision, therefore choosing to wait until Wish took effect. When Wish began to heal the user, it sprinkled shimmering particles all around its target. This was what it was waiting for. The lustrous light was all it needed to get a lock on Latias' location. The short wait also allowed it to procure even more vigor in the Dark Pulse attack. Latias felt sore, worse than she was before Wish took effect. Her vision was beginning to blur, blackness consuming her eyesight. It was getting harder to stay conscious by every passing second.

_No. I can't give up. Not after what it did to us._

There was still one thing, a last resort which, with a slight bit of luck, save her. Perhaps she should try it-. No, it was too risky, in all circumstances, it was forbidden. The Pokémon was walking towards her, its claws growing in length, shrouded in darkness. It charging up Night Slash, it must be getting ready to finish her off. Latias knew she had to do something, but just not _that_. She didn't have much strength left, Latias had to make this move count. She still had one move not yet tested in its mettle, never used in combat. Latios has taught her this move for a long time, but it never seemed to work perfectly. No matter, this was her only trump card, her ace in the hole.

_Please work this time, please._

Latias began to float upwards, charging up the Dragon energy within her, concentrating every last spark of life in her to the core. She began to glow orange, illuminating the entire prairie. As the Pokémon approached her, she opened her mouth, where an orb of overwhelming power now resided.

Draco Meteor, the most powerful attack known to a Dragon-type, was an attack that had to be learned through pure dedication, it also required an extreme trust with the mentor, a trust that had to be unrivaled to gain complete control. Latias had been learning this move since three years ago, it never succeeded, choosing to fail just as Latios was getting his hopes up. It always flopped, until now.

Instead of shooting the orb into the sky, where it would burst into a cluster of miniature bombs, dealing hurt to anything in it's range, Latias chose to fire the orb straight into the Pokémon's chest. As her foe noticed the sphere of power in her mouth, it began to sprint towards her. Latias didn't hesitate, she unleashed the energy right into her assailant's center. As the orb crashed into its rib cage, it flew backwards at an alarmingly fast rate. Even as it tried to leave the clutches of the meteor, it blasted apart, showering it in more volatile fragments. That was it, the explosions multiplied, never relenting. Latias felt fatigue kicking in, Draco Meteor took a lot of stamina to perform perfectly, her condition worsened considerably. She used her remaining energy to make another Wish, hoping to salve the wounds she gained throughout the entire event.

Just as she savored the calm, the storm returned, stronger than ever. In the midst of all the smoke, she saw a reddish glow, evilly locking at her. The smoke began to clear, and the silhouette began to stand up.

_No, no, no. This can't be._

_Where are you Latios?_

* * *

><p><em>What was that?<em>

Kyle was still stunned by the sudden appearance of Latios, he was pulled out of the trance by a bright orange light shining through the trees to the west. He knew that light, it was Draco Meteor, but what would it be doing here. Latios was noticeably far more urgent, seemingly telling Kyle about something. There was also something that filled him with uneasiness, something important.

And then it hit him, someone was in there.

_Lyra._

He grabbed his backpack, and began a rush into the forest. Latios could wait, Lyra was in big trouble. "Let's go Quilava! Staraptor, fly up high and find Lyra!" Kyle shouted out orders to the two Pokémon he would need to assist him in his search. The others would stay and guard Latios in case whatever was hunting him came close.

Latios wasn't in good shape, he had burn marks and scars all over his body.

Something was not right here, and Kyle was pulled right into the middle of it.

* * *

><p><strong>And that concludes this chapter. <strong>I loved writing this chapter. The last chapter was all about character development, slightly less rewarding than this one. Battles, elaboration on attacks, all of it was great fun. <strong>**

**If you enjoyed this chapter, please say so. It is always rewarding to have your story read.**

**I know this update came before the date I stated in the end of the first chapter, I don't really take deadlines seriously, I either make the deadline, or I update sooner. That's just me.**

**And thanks for all the help ARCEUS-master and Mekon.**

**Xuan Ying.**

**_Latest next update: 16/10/2011._  
><strong>


	3. Eons

**_Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, wish I may, it will never be._  
><strong>

**Author Notes:**

**Yes! Another update before expected. Well, on with the story.  
><strong>

Smoke wafted through the air, clouding the entire prairie in its gray silhouette. Latias glanced at the aftermath of her Draco Meteor attack, fatigue slowly taking her, blackness consuming her eyesight. She risked another glance through the drifting fumes. She never expected to see two ruby colored eyes glowing, accompanied by a shadow which caused shivers to flow down her spine. Wish showered her with soothing light, rejuvenating her, but it didn't do anything to alleviate her tension. The feeling she was trying so hard to muzzle overtook her, it was tenacious, impossible to suppress any longer.

Fear.

* * *

><p>In the nearby woodlands, a boy searched for his traveling companion. Kyle ran, searching for Lyra. He was accompanied by his Quilava, and his Staraptor. He was searching for Lyra, worried for her. It was a Draco Meteor, he knew it. The orange glow was unmistakable. What troubled him the most was the direction from which the explosion occurred. It came from the western forests, where Lyra went to train.<p>

_Where are you Lyra!_

While he and Quilava searched on the ground, Staraptor was searching in the air. Kyle wanted badly for Staraptor to find her first, or vice versa. Anything would work as long as he found her. The tension was further upped by the fact that Lyra's mother trusted him to protect her, no matter what happened.

_You'll take care of her, Kyle. You're the only one I would trust to take care of her._

The kick in the gut he felt was hard. He promised, and nothing ever went wrong in the four years of traveling. Why now? He had to find Lyra, not only because of his promise, but also because he brought Lyra into this. His words from the afternoon still rang clear in his ears.

_"It's time for lunch, we're still far from Sunnyshore City, perhaps we should camp out here."_

Why didn't they go straight to the next city? Why did they have the sparring match in the first place? Why did he let her go off alone? Why did she pick the west forest? Why did they even choose this path? Infinite possibilities of a brighter state, a situation where none of this happened. If those things never happened, maybe Lyra could be safe, and they would be at the Pokémon Centre, eating dinner. If he really wanted to blame someone, it was himself.

Quilava sensed his trainer's distress. It was the bond they formed throughout their years of traveling at work. Kyle never looked so tense. Even when he was faced with overwhelming odds during battles, he always got through unruffled. This time though, Kyle was sweating, a clear sign that he was in great grief. Quilava understood, Kyle was always one to look out for his friends, and Lyra was his best. He was always concerned about Lyra, and gave everything to protect her.

Quilava used his snout to prod Kyle's legs, hoping to sedate the trepidation his trainer felt. Kyle looked at Quilava, giving him a grateful look. Kyle slowly regained his composure and resumed the search. He shouted out Lyra's name every few seconds, desiring nothing more than a reply, no matter how soft.

"Lyra!" Kyle yelled. While Quilava managed to allay his panic, it wasn't to last. He felt qualm rising, the feeling of failure taking over his mind. It was all his fault.

_Pull yourself together! This is no time for self pity, find Lyra. Remember, there's someone waiting for you back at the campsite._ His conscience was always what settled him down. What it said brought Kyle out of his trance.

It was true that the appearance of Latios was important, but Lyra was the only thing on his mind now. Thinking back, he really should have left a few Sitrus Berries for Latios, but it was too late to recollect. He would do that, after he found Lyra. The voice was right, this was no time for a breakdown.

Suddenly, he heard a recognizable cry in the air. It was Staraptor.

"Star, Staraptor!" Staraptor was pointing at a nearby clearing a short run away. Kyle broke into a sprint, dashing towards the clearing. He was close, so close. Just a final step away from finding Lyra. As he passed the final tree, he came to a small clearing,

_No._

What he saw left him devastated; lying on the ground was Lyra, not moving. Glaceon was at her side, still conscious, but twitching due to the pain. Glaceon's body was underneath a boulder, a large one. Kyle and Quilava both pushed the stone off Glaceon, Kyle knew that Glaceon was in a bad state from the look of her. Glaceon was shivering, a sign that the injuries might be severe. He quickly called out commands to Staraptor.

"Staraptor! Get Glaceon back to the campsite." Glaceon was hurt bad, barely able to stand. Kyle couldn't make a perfect assumption, but he hoped that Glaceon wouldn't have a fracture. It was beyond his ability to restore Glaceon, it needed the Pokémon Centre. Staraptor was strong, but it couldn't carry a human. In a few years, maybe it could manage to carry Kyle, but now it was limited to small, light Pokémon. Kyle helped get Glaceon on Staraptor's back, gently as to not make the injuries worse. It really would be easier with Glaceon's Pokéball, but Lyra left that at the campground, and he forgot about it in his rush.

Once he made sure that Glaceon wouldn't fall off during the flight, he let Staraptor go, returning to guard Latios. Next was Lyra, he tried to wake her up by calling her name and shaking her, but it had no effect whatsoever. What mattered was that she was still breathing, thank Mew for that. Kyle saw bruises around her arm, possibly caused by the falling rocks. None of them were bleeding either, hopefully indicating a lucky streak. She looked as if she wasn't going to wake up soon, Kyle knew what he had to do.

He called Quilava over. "Quilava, help get Lyra onto my back. And be careful, those bruises may hurt." As Quilava nodded in approval, Kyle pulled Lyra up, getting her to a standing position. Using Quilava as support, Kyle crouched down, waiting to receive Lyra. Quilava gave Lyra a simple push upwards which got her onto Kyle's back, lying straight up, facing Kyle.

"Thanks Quilava," said Kyle, "let's go."

Kyle began to walk back to the campsite. He dared not move at a rate too quick, fearing that that may hurt Lyra. He was about halfway back when he felt a slight struggle on his back.

"Urgh," Lyra must have regained consciousness. She was glad that Kyle managed to find her, she was grateful. All she could remember was a glow of light through the trees. An orb flew towards her and Glaceon and hit the cliff nearby. The explosion caused a few rocks to fall, a large one began to close in on her. She blacked out right after Glaceon tackled her to get her out of the way, herself getting crushed by the rubble.

"Took you long enough, Kyle." She said with a grin. Kyle knew that Lyra intended sarcasm, but the comment still felt like a kick to the guts. He was sorry that he brought her into this. His sadness swiftly jostled up a level.

Lyra seemed to notice that her humor wasn't achieving its goal. "Hey, I was just joking. Don't be so serious, Kyle, none of us could have foreseen this."

Kyle agreed, but it still felt like his fault. "I know, but you could've been hurt. I really shouldn't have let you go off alone. If you got hurt, I wouldn't forgive myself." He was definitely going to keep a closer eye on Lyra in the future. "Glaceon was hurt bad, it was crushed underneath a boulder."

_No_.

Lyra felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She brought Glaceon into the woods, and she was the one who suggested using the clearing under the cliff. If only she listened to Glaceon's warnings. And to think that Glaceon was the one who saved her. Kyle was also grim, Lyra knew her mother made him promise to protect her, and this must have left him devastated.

"I'm sorry, Lyra."

She should have been the one who apologized, but she decided to let it go. She could have unleashed all her anguish onto Kyle, and he wouldn't even have retaliated, choosing to endure Lyra's angst to make her feel better, but no, she wouldn't do that. She has grown since the beginning of the journey and intends to prove that she can hold it in. She curbed the tears, restraining them. She wasn't going to cry like this.

"I know you feel bad, but I'm alright. Honest." Lyra wiped the tears off her cheeks, hoping that Kyle didn't notice the droplets. Lyra still couldn't walk, but the numbness was slowly receding. She didn't need psychic powers to know that Kyle was still in woe. Perhaps a laugh would manage to make him forget about the event, even for a second. But what could she say? One event in particular came to mind, but her cheeks began to redden once she thought about it.

_Oh, not that! Oh well, I guess that would work._

She began to initiate her plan. "Kyle, remember when I started my journey?"

Kyle nodded. "After we met Professor Birch at Littleroot town, we had to walk to Oldale Town, right?" Another nod, Kyle knew where this was going, his jaw slowly rised.

"Remember what happened next?" Here came the punchline.

She definitely heard Kyle snicker. Success! That always managed to crack Kyle up, giving him a laughing fit. She was ten back then, but it still seemed really childish. Even she had a laugh from time to time.

_It was a hot day, the scorching sun forming perspiration on their skin faster than it would evaporate. She and Kyle were walking on the path, to avoid getting lost. But this also caused them to forgo the shade provided by the trees. _

_"I'm tired Kyle, how long more till we get there?" Lyra was not accustomed to walking that much., especially since she lived in the small area of New Bark Town, where distances were never too long. Everywhere she wanted to go, it was barely more than a few minutes' walk away. This time, it was different, the weather in Hoenn was more humid and warm than in Johto, mainly because it was located closer to the equator. The burning sun was practically challenging her to walk another step forward, and she was losing in the predicament every passing second._

_Kyle seemed far more accustomed to long distance traveling on foot, as he had already traveled through Johto once. Kyle answered her in a calm tone. "A short while more, just fifteen minutes more if we walk slightly faster."_

_"Fifteen minutes! I'll faint before we get there!" _

_"We just took a break ten minutes ago." And that was true._

_"I'm tired!"_

_"I'm also as tired as you are, but the problem is, we can't just camp out here. We're too far from anyplace marked on the map."_

She never would forget what she said next.

_"I'm not moving another inch! You're going to have to carry me there!"_

Every time Kyle brought it up, Lyra would always wince. It was just so shameful to have said that. Back then, Kyle just ignored her, continuing to walk forward. She cried, and kept crying until Kyle turned around. If it wasn't for that time, she would still be the spoilt brat demanding piggy backs on every trip. She has matured since then, thanks to Kyle's guidance.

Even Kyle outgrew the gag. When Kyle brought up the event, he would always laugh out loud, amused by Lyra's callow behavior back then. Kyle soon went from the laughing fits to chuckling as the years went by, and Lyra now managed to hear of the incident without losing her temper. She still hated it, but when she needed to cheer Kyle up, this was always her ace in the hole, never failing to do so. "Now you're doing it, four years late." Lyra joked.

"True, but I really hoped that it would be under better circumstances." Kyle returned to his serious self. There were still some things Lyra didn't know about. "Glaceon was hurt bad, I sent her back with Staraptor." Lyra clearly flinched at the mention of her hurt partner. Kyle knew that it would be hard to accept, but there was still another thing.

"There's also someone new at the campsite, someone you wouldn't see every day." He didn't really like to keep someone in the dark, but he was afraid of the implications the revelation might bring.

Lyra felt curiosity and suspense building up. "Who is it?"

"A Latios."

And then she started to worry.

* * *

><p>The Night Slash made contact, causing Latias to scream out in pain. The attacks never relented, each coming as fast as they could. Her assailant swung its arms down swiftly, each blow leaving scars on Latias' white body. Even as Latias charged the Dragon Pulse attack, her opponent didn't even move. Instead choosing to move at the exact second Latias fired, evading the attack with ease.<p>

Latias was at the end of her energy limits, exhaustion closing in on her heart. Another Draco Meteor attack would be infeasible, she was just too tired. Draco Meteor's might had a flipside. Similar to moves like Overheat and Leaf Storm, Draco Meteor would cause the user to suffer a sharp decrease in attack power. With every time the attack was used, the vehemence of the next suffered a severe cutback in terms of damage.

Latias could only hope that the Pokémon was as tired as she was. She fired off a weak Mist Ball which managed to temporarily blind her foe with smoke. Ignoring the pain that tore at her wings, she blasted towards the woodwork, turning invisible in the process. Her foe glanced around as the smoke cleared, creating a moments silence in the carnage that came before it.

_Where are you Latios?_

* * *

><p>Kyle and Lyra were now out of the forests. Back at the campsite, Latios was noticeably more agitated than when Kyle first left him. Lyra was now off Kyle's back, having regained the ability to walk. Glaceon was still in bad shape. She was off Staraptor's back and was now on the table, still shivering due to the aftermath of pain, stronger than before. Kyle quickly grabbed his medical tools from his backpack and began to do a diagnosis.<p>

"Wow." That was all Lyra could manage as she saw Latios. Latios was as majestic as he was in pictures and myths. His body was blue and white, just like the pictures in books. He also had a white spot at the middle of his face, shaped just like a tear drop.

"That's what I thought too." Kyle began to perform a quick check up on Glaceon, hopefully being able to heal her in the process. "A Latios appearing out of nowhere, it's not something you see every day." Kyle also added, "Look at him, he's hurt badly."

Lyra looked at the Legendary Eon. Kyle was right, Latios had bruises all over his body. He was attacked, but by whom? It was hard to even see a Legendary Pokémon, let hurt one. What troubled Lyra the most was a cut which ran down Latios' neck, it seemed to glow with a purplish sheen, a sheen that apparently glowed brighter at certain intervals. It almost seemed like it had its own heart, each beat hurting Latios. Almost like a clock ticking, each move indicating a lost second.

"Why is it glowing?" Lyra asked Kyle.

Kyle looked up, and then paused to think. "I assume that Latios got hit by a Night Slash attack." Seeing Latios nod, Kyle knew that he guessed right. "Assuming the cut isn't too deep, Latios should be fine." Lyra let out the breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"That's a relief, I guess that-"

"I wasn't exactly finished." Kyle interrupted her. He continued "Night Slash uses dark energy as its main source. Normally, it wouldn't do much damage, but considering Latios' half Psychic typing, I'd say it a lot more damage."

Glaceon seemed to have calmed down, no longer shaken from the pain. Kyle continued to treat Glaceon to the best of his ability. While salving her wounds with potions, he continued. "I'd think that Latios won't be affected much, but I really can't be the judge of that."

"How's Glaceon?" Lyra began to get concerned about her partner. Normally, Kyle would have made her better in a short while, but this time, it took way longer. Kyle wasn't a doctor, but he had the skills he learnt through years of traveling.

"She's all right, but weak." Kyle felt comforted that Glaceon had nothing broken. He did all he could to ease the pain, but the fact remained that he was no substitute for the Pokémon Centre. Nurse Joy was the only one who could get Glaceon back to tip condition. Any other day, he would have went straight to the nearest one. Today however, was different.

Kyle made up his mind. "Listen, Lyra. You have to get Glaceon to the Pokémon Centre."

"What about you?" She was really expecting Kyle to follow her.

Kyle didn't reply, he was looking at Latios, who was noticeably more insistent that they take notice. Latios was hurt bad, probably the main reason Kyle had to stay.

"What happened, Latios?" asked them both in unison.

Latios' coos weren't intelligible. It was always hard to communicate with Pokémon when you didn't know them well. It was just a hurdle which was hard to pass. Either way, it was hard to understand what Latios wanted to tell them.

"Calm down Latios, we can't understand you." Kyle tried to calm Latios down, hoping to get what he wanted to say. They weren't able to piece anything together, it was just too random. Latios continued to yammer, hoping that they could understand. It was all in vain. Eventually though, Latios stopped and closed his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

* * *

><p><em>Latias, are you there?<em>

Latios reestablished the mental link that bonded them both. They had a bond so tight that they could communicate with each other from halfway across the world. Latias temporarily turned off the link in the fear that their assailant would be able to tap into it. Right now they didn't know what to expect from their opponent, it was too unpredictable.

The reply he got was weak and faint, but at least it was still there. He definitely felt relief as his sister gave confirmation.

_Latios! Where were you? _Worry seeped into the tone of Latias' voice. Even across the distance, Latios could feel the fear in Latias' voice.

_I've found help, try to hang on for a while longer. _Latios did his best to hide the anxiety he felt. He tried to encourage Latias to hold out. These two humans were his only hope, with luck, he just might be able to convince them to help.

_I'll try. _Latias' voice was faint, she was clearly at the limits of her endurance. He took too long, just too long. He could only hope that Latias had enough energy left for the thing he had in mind. It was all he needed to get Kyle and Lyra's help.

_I need your help, Latias. _He began, this was going to be hard. They haven't practiced this in a long time. This was an ability only known by the Eons, the humans called it 'sight sharing'. Its name summarized what it did entirely. The people of Altomare who worshiped them as deities knew perfectly well how it worked. With each bond forged through two Eon siblings, there came the ability for one to share the viewpoint of the other. This feat was possible simply through a close mental link with the other, unrivaled and unsurpassed. If two Eons were born from the same mother, but lived in rivalry, the ability would fail. Latios had a strong bond with his sister, forged through both storms and calms. He knew that this would be possible.

At the other end of the link, Latias clearly heard her brother's thoughts. She never managed to pull off a flawless sharing, but under pressure, she managed to perform a lethal Draco Meteor. Why not give it a shot?

There was one vindication, her fear to the monster that attacked her. She quickly relayed her anxiousness to her brother. _I really don't want to see that thing again brother, is there no other way?_

Latios knew that his sister was scarred not only physically, but also mentally. Forcing her to risk a glance at their assailant would be bad. He would have recommended fleeing, but considering the condition Latias was in, it wasn't sensible. He really should have stayed. Latias was still young and weak at battling. Why did he leave her there?

_There is one way, but it requires more mental strength. It may cause you headaches and dizziness. Are you sure you want to attempt it? I won't force you, sister._ One of them had to act as the conduit. The channel would be transferred through one to another. Latias would act as the point of entry, while he acted as the output. He would show Kyle and Lyra what happened, as opposed to telling them.

_Anything to get out of here._

He admired his sister's new found courage. What he had in mind was a memory relay, rather than a sight transfer. It was just like sight sharing, but a slight difference separated this from the former. Sharing memories required the sojourner to center on their memories so strongly that they became vivid to the point where they could intersect reality. If the memories were real enough, it would somehow materialize in their eyesight, making it what they see. This required far more concentration than the basic sharing of sight. With his sister's determination, they might manage to pull it off.

_Let's do it._

* * *

><p>As Kyle and Lyra stood deep in concentration, attempting to understand whatever Latios was trying to tell them, they found themselves pulled into a void of darkness. Reality was all but shrunken into a corner, the surreal taking over their senses. Latios opened his eyes, which were cloaked in a cyan energy which pierced the blackness of the scene. As sudden as it came, the immaterial world was replaced by a clearing, one that looked lush with plant growth. What stood out was the levitating form of Latios. They seemed to be observing the event through the eyes of another, something which had stubby arms and claws just like Latios did.<p>

"Kyle," asked Lyra with a hint of nervousness in her voice, "where are we?"

It seemed so familiar, it was like the myths he was told of in Altomare. Latios was sharing his sight with them, or in this case, Latias' sight. "If I'm not mistaken, this is Latios' sight sharing ability, only we're seeing what Latias is seeing." Lyra noticeably eased up slightly, feeling grateful that she wasn't in trouble. "There's definitely something wrong." Latios and Latias wouldn't just reveal themselves to humans, and if the legends were true, sight sharing was a right reserved specifically for those who earned their full trust. They've never even met before, why trust them?

Kyle's focus returned to the matter at hand, the field of psychic energy astrally projected crisp images which seemed to have something important in them. Now that Kyle concentrated, he concluded that this was the past, rather than the present. The sun as still gazing upon the earth, its rays scalding the ground. This happened at noon, the real time was peace of the moment was broken as a shadow jumped off the nearby cliff. The figure landed gracefully on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, it was unscathed by the leap. The leaves around the area ruffled, seemingly shaken by the imposing figure's sudden arrival. Latias glanced at Latios, who looked troubled. The dust slowly cleared, revealing a humanoid creature's shape. Its identity wasn't clear, but it stood up, facing the Eons.  
>What happened nest was so swift it was almost a blur. The Pokemon ran towards Latios and Latias, charging a move Kyle never saw before. It held its arms in, accumulating blood red energy around it. Latios and Latias noticed the show of hostility, but chose not to move, paralyzed by the Pokemon's speed.<p>

What happened next was so fast that Kyle nearly missed it. The scarlet energy was pulled in, contracting straight into the Pokemon. It momentarily resembled a Safeguard attack, only the colour's extreme contrast to light emerald differed them. As the energy snuggled in place, an explosion took place, shading the entire praire in its gray blur. Latias and Latios were blown back by the shock wave. Instead of attacking, they attempted to flee. All was in vain, Sucker Punch attacks were thrown straight at them, stopping them in their tracks.

Sucker Punch was an attack which gained heightened priority, meaning that it would hit first, no matter how fast the opponent was. Moves like Quick Attack also tended to do the same thing, but Sucker Punch beat the competition by a mile, striking first almost every time. Sucker Punch also happened to be a Dark type move, causing both Latias and Latios to take extra damage due to their Psychic typing. They noticeably flinched after getting hit, feeling the pain caused by the attack.

Knowing that they would not be able to flee, they chose to fight back. Dragon Pulse attack were fired, but they missed the target by miles. Kyle could see that this Pokemon was skilled. It had to be a wild one, but how could it defeat two Legendaries? It was unthinkable, impossible.

He knew why Latios came for them. They were desperate for help.

The battle unfolded at a speed too quick to follow. The images grew vivid whenever either one of the Eons were hit. Attacks were all lethal, always hitting hard. Even when Night Slash glowed dimly, indicating the inability to cause critical damage, it still hurt the Legendaries, a lot.

In the end, a Dark Pulse attack hit Latias, causing her to fall on the ground. The images started to blur, probably caused by fatigue. Latios looked cautiously at Latias, seeming to ask "can you go on?" Latias shook her head, then looked towards the open fields beyond. She must have wanted for Latios to get help.

The image then retracted, leaving the two humans stunned. They knew that they had to help. However, the fact remained that Lyra's Glaceon was in no condition for delayed treatment. Kyle had to make a decision, fast.

"Let's go," said Lyra, eager to help Latias.

"Wait," said Kyle as he held Lyra's sleeve. "Are you forgetting about Glaceon?" Lyra looked back, Glaceon was on the table, struggling to get up. Kyle's quick patching up managed to get the pain out, but it would not last if Glaceon was forced to get hit anymore.

"You need to get Glaceon help." Kyle didn't want Lyra to go alone, but the situation called for desperate measures. "Go to Sunnyshore, get help." He made a quick deduction on Latias and Latios' injuries. He would need Potions to do first aid. "If possible, get to the mart and buy five Potions, and a Revive, for safe measure."

"But,-"

"No buts, there's no time to argue." Kyle gave her a stern look. She never saw Kyle so serious, ever. He continued, "Get back as soon as you can. Meet me here."

Lyra nodded, knowing the urgency of the matter. She returned all her Pokémon into their Pokéballs, packed up her backpack and left.

Kyle did the same and began to dash behind Latios, who was already rushing towards the eastern forests.

* * *

><p>In the meadow, Latias risked a look out of her hiding place. She didn't see the monster, perhaps she was safe.<p>

Then, a claw came crushing down on her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**That's the third chapter, I hope you liked it. If you did, don't forget to review.**

**I already have the whole story draft completed, it won't be canceled, don't worry.**

**Anyway, I bet that there will be about nine or ten chapters. There will be a dark tone to the whole story, contrasting the anime.**

_**Latest update: **_16/9/2011

_**Xuan Ying**_


	4. Encounter

**I do not own Pokemon, that's obvious.  
><strong>

**Author Notes:**

**Slightly late, I know. This chapter brings a slight revelation, which will mean a lot to those wondering what this story is about. Don't expect too much though.**

Latias waited, awaiting the assistance that Latios promised. It would come, Latios wouldn't fail her. He was her brother, the one which would never let her down. They've been together for over centuries, the bond that was formed since they were born was further enhanced through their years of being together, whether through amenities or torment. The link that melded them was more than just a long range means of communication, it conjugated their lives. It wasn't natural, buy the Eons have learned through years of hardships and exalt to have full trust in the other. The mutual tie they shared would cause the other to grieve, and possibly even more drastic, if one of them was to suffer harm.

Latias couldn't see her foe, and she preferred to keep it that way. It barely took a scrape in the entire continuity of the battle. Stealth was her only option now. Any movement she dared to perform would have consequences that led her to more harm than she could take. She already felt the sting of the Night Slashes on her wings. Her ability to fly was utterly ruined. It was all she could do to keep herself in the air. Her body was losing the capability to cope with the pain. However, as the physical vitality ran low, the mind would take over, giving strength which would be more than just a substitute for the decrease in power.

She checked the link between her and her brother, hoping for assistance. She found the distance between them closing. She allowed herself a short victory, one that wasn't to last.

As Latias looked towards the west forest, hoping for Latios's appearance, she was grabbed at her throat. Scarlet claws started to close, tightening their grip. She began to choke, suffocating on both lack of air and fear. She never thought twice. She quickly charged up her Draco Meteor attack, firing point blank into her assailant.

The blast caught her assailant and her too. The supernova caused more than just damage, it also caused her to get blown back by the blast, hitting a tree in the process. She started to black out, losing consciousness as time passed. She had one last thought before she fainted.

_Latios, come quick._

* * *

><p>The Pokémon that attacked her had a smile upon its face; it closed the distance between them, one step at a time. Savoring the victory it earned, it advanced slowly.<p>

Kyle ran, desperately trying to catch up with Latios. He barely managed to keep up with the rushing Latios. Adrenalin coursed through his veins, pushing him to break past his natural limit of speed. He had to help Latias. The meadow was close, he knew it. He had a certain feeling that was hard to define. He felt a certain chill that made him tremble. It was weird, the weather was warm and humid, the normal reaction to which would be to sweat, rather than trembles. He just seemed to feel a presence that forced him to feel fear. The strength of the feeling was amplified as he got closer to the clearing where Latias and the mystery Pokémon were.

He saw light through the thick overgrowth that covered every inch of his eyesight. Seeing the end of the forest, he broke into a brisk pace, hoping that he wasn't too late. The clearing which he saw in Latias' memories was far from what he expected. The simple nature of memories meant that the view from the remembrance was filled with blurs, a fault caused by the impossibility of flawless recollections. The prairie was filled with thick grass, each strand shaking to its own tempo. There was barely even a slight breeze, but the grass moved on its own accord. Even the sky seemed ready to break into two. The occurrence of a storm was inevitable, seeing as the black clouds far outnumbered the clear ones. Yet rain never fell, not even a droplet came. It felt as if the environment knew that an advent was coming, thus holding in whatever would happen next, in trepidation or anticipation, Kyle couldn't be sure.

As he left the confines of the foliage, he saw the Pokémon closing in on Latias. It was readying a Night Slash attack, one that could be lethal if it wasn't intercepted. Latios began to make a move, but Kyle told him to stay put. Every hit Latios took could activate the time bomb which was an added effect of Night Slash. The pounding of the purple glow was not just a scar, he only said that to repress Lyra's fear. In reality, it was an explosive force, waiting for the right moment to detonate. It was a move only usable by the strongest of Dark type Pokémon, that made him fear his opponent more. Grabbing one of his Pokéballs, he threw it towards the prairie.

Staraptor appeared in a blue glow, temporarily taking the attention of the one attacking Latias. It barely managed to make a move as Kyle gave commands.

"Staraptor, boost with Aerial Ace. Then switch to Close Combat."

Staraptor didn't even need to hear the whole order. He began the Aerial Ace attack, using the tremendous speed boost to close in on the Pokémon. It barely even registered that Staraptor had moved, he seemingly just switched places in the blink of an eye. Staraptor used his beak as the point of contact, hitting the Pokémon hard on the chest. Just as the hit connected, Staraptor threw his wings forward, braking. Using the sudden thrust complimented by the stop, Staraptor began the Close Combat attack.

It did a lot of damage. The hits caused by Staraptor's wings and legs were extremely hard, causing the opponent to flinch. Close Combat was a risky maneuver. Every hit closed the distance between the two, Staraptor temporarily lost control of his momentum as Close Combat was active. The moment of relent had to be perfectly timed. Otherwise, the inexistent distance between the Staraptor and his opponent would cause Staraptor to take extra damage from the opponent's attacks.

Kyle managed to make up a way to deal with the compromise made by Close Combat. He didn't need to tell Staraptor, he knew perfectly what to do. Just as the final blow was delivered, Staraptor prepared to make a quick 180-degree turn. He was using U-turn, the perfect way to counter the defense loss caused by Close Combat. The plan was to always use the tail feathers to score a free hit on the opponent, while also making a get away by returning into the Pokéball.

Kyle knew his opponent was skilled, but he definitely didn't expect it to use Night Slash right as Staraptor hit him. Just as Staraptor turned red, beginning the recalling into the Pokéball, his opponent attacked, taking a hit to get his own in. Staraptor let out a high pitched shriek, one that pierced through the silence of the night. The wail was drowned only when Staraptor returned to his Pokéball, the best of places for it to be in right now.

Speaking of its physiology, it certainly looked different. Kyle used the silent moment to take out his Pokédex, attempting to identify the Pokémon who attacked the Eons. The mounted camera scanned through the nearby area. The screen activated, showing a graphical representation of the nearby area. Every known Pokémon in the vicinity was highlighted with a yellow outline.

There was Latios and Latias, but there was no halo around the visualization of the Pokémon. The Pokédex was programmed with data from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. In other words, every Pokémon from every single region Kyle travelled to have been included in Kyle's Pokédex.

This meant that this Pokémon was either from another region, or wasn't even a Pokémon at all. Kyle took a picture of the Pokémon with his Pokédex's camera, hoping to identify it later. He chose to analyze the situation the way he usually did, through simple logic. Everything about his opponent said Dark type. Its move set, by which each Pokémon could learn four moves as a natural limit, consisted of Night Slash, Dark Pulse, Sucker Punch and the attack which caused an implosion. All of which were Dark type moves. It was clearly created to make full use of the attack boost gained through using attacks of the same type as the user. Apart from that, there was also the matter of Close Combat and U-turn's effectiveness. The Pokémon clearly flinched when both of the attacks met their mark. Those tow moves were Fighting and Bug type respectively. Both of which were weaknesses of the Dark type. If that wasn't enough to convince Kyle, even the color of the Pokémon matched the common interpretation of Dark types. It was primarily black and red, a trait similar to the legendary Pokémon Darkrai.

It looked like a fox, almost like an Eevee standing upright. Its face seemed to have red scratches all over it. Were they scars, or battle paint? It also seemed to have red claws, three on every limb. The fire that was its mane added to the ferocity it spilled outwards in bucket loads. It resembled a ponytail, a teal bangle separating the majority from the lower portion. The black tips of the hair further amplified the wickedness, looking like a demon. Kyle's Pokédex blinked, taking the snapshot.

That was a mistake. The Pokémon began to approach him. It slowly closed the distance between them, its claws shown in the dark, taunting Kyle.

Normally, Kyle would have played fair, but under the circumstances, fairness took a backseat. He grabbed two Pokéballs in each of his hands, and threw them all at the same time.

* * *

><p><em>Hang on, Glaceon.<em>

Lyra was running towards Sunnyshore City. It was a long way from the clearing, but to save Glaceon, tiredness was barely even felt. Instead, the pressure she felt all originated from the strict time limit. Every second she took would jeopardize Glaceon's life. That was not a chance she was willing to take. She could see the grand Sunnyshore Tower from where she was, solar panels covering every side and edge of the walls. She was close, her Pokégear vibrated, indicating an approach on the destination.

Her worry turned to Kyle, how was he now?

_Be all right, Kyle. Please._

* * *

><p>In a flash, four of Kyle's Pokémon appeared. Kyle didn't wait for the Pokémon to react, he gave instructions without waiting for his team to completely materialize. He knew more than anyone else that they knew what to do.<p>

"Meganium, use both Light Screen and Reflect to protect Latias."

"Umbreon, use Mean Look on that thing!"

"Gabite, Swampert, use Brick Break!"

The whole group sprung into action. Meganium formed a sphere of iridescent light around Latias, that was Reflect, which would protect Latias from Night Slash and Sucker Punch. Further enhancing the shield was a gold glow, engulfing the original sphere. Light Screen would be the defense against ranged attacks, having the same effect as Reflect.

Umbreon jumped to the front of Pokémon, leering at it. His eyes emitted a black ring which fell straight down on whatever that Pokémon was. It tried to move, but found its legs to be hampered in terms of movement. Mean Look was a move meant to prevent an opponent from escaping. It did so by forcing the opponent to stay on the spot, freezing its legs on the spot. The target also suffered a slight decrease in speed, but that wasn't a reduction significant enough to cause a dent in the stats.

Just as the Pokémon discovered its new limitations, Gabite and Swampert landed two smashes with Brick Break. Gabite's fins glowed white and it chopped straight down. Swampert, on the other hand, waved his similarly glowing hand sideways, pushing the target towards a nearby tree. Brick Break caused a lot of damage, being a Fighting type move. It had an added effect of breaking Light Screen and Reflect, but that necessary here.

The crash into the tree caused dust to fly, blinding Kyle's Pokémon temporarily. They knew enough to keep their guard up, their opponent was dangerous, possibly lethal.

Kyle tried to see through the smoke, he saw a smudge of blackness in the midst of the grime. Dark Pulse, that's for sure.

Kyle knew what to do next. "Umbreon, intercept the attack with Double Team! Meganium, shield Umbreon!"

Umbreon allowed the sphere of both screens to consume herself. Once it happened, he split his body into more copies of himself. Each of the copies threw themselves into the path of the split Dark Pulse attack. Every one of them took the hit, but they didn't even flinch. Umbreon's Dark typing made him almost immune to the effects of alike typed attacks, add that with the shield, and he was practically invincible to everything his opponent could do. Double Team was an attack normally meant to be used as an evasive move, but Kyle chose to use it as a shield. Double Team would speed up the user so much that he would almost seem to be at more than one place at once. The user could then dictate its next move with the earned time, or just prevaricate the opponent, dodging an otherwise hitting attack.

* * *

><p>Latias woke suddenly, seeing a green Pokémon standing in front of her, a wall of energy separating her from the outside world. She shook her head, hurt by the pain she felt growing in her head. She slowly got up, looking at the outside world.<p>

She saw her assailant battling with three other Pokémon, a boy giving them orders. From the look of it, Meganium was probably his. If he was battling that thing, he must have been a friend. She began to search the nearby area for Latios, knowing that this boy was the help he found.

_Latios! Where are you?_

She was relieved to see hear a reply. She never felt more gratified to hear Latios' voice.

_Latias, you're all right. Thank goodness._

Latios had a hint of worry in his voice, indicating the concern he felt.

_Where are you? Is this boy the help you've found?_

_Yes._

Latias looked at the battle unfolding beyond the barrier. Attacks of many types were thrown about, rarely stopping for a moment of silence. Every flash was a hit, nothing managed to miss its mark. This was a heated battle, one that certainly deserved the respect Latias had for the boy. A Quilava stood by his side, observing the battlefield. It seemed to be searching for an opening, awaiting the perfect moment to attack.

Meganium gave her a worried look, one Latias put down by giving her a nod. The boy was good with his Pokémon, who trusted him entirely. They never seemed to question their trainer's orders, carrying them out immedietly.

_He's good. We may just have a chance here. _Latias counted on the damage her two Draco Meteors did to make things easier.

Latios prayed for Kyle's success, hoping for the best.

* * *

><p>The Double Team interception wasn't the best move, but Gabite and Swampert would take more damage if they were to have taken the brunt of the attack. The Pokémon still didn't go down. It stood back up, even after taking so much harm. Kyle could see the bruises caused by his attacks, but its salubriousness meant that it was far from blacking out.<p>

"Gabite, Sand Storm! Swampert, Hydro Pump!"

Gabite raised its arms, firing a gust of sand straight towards the Pokémon. Swampert charged up a spray of highly pressurized water and shot it right into the sand storm. This was a combination Kyle thought up, and it did a lot of damage. The idea came from Swampert's learning of Muddy Water and Mud Shot. Both of these attacks did a lot of hurt, but every Pokémon's move set could only have four moves, that was the maximum limit. Hydro Pump was one of the strongest Water type moves available, and that made it hard to give up on.

There was a substitute; Muddy Water upped the damage from Surf, which was functionally similar, by adding weight to the wave of water. This was made possible by the semi-Ground typing of Swampert. You could say it was a merging of Mud Shot and Surf. The slightly less detrimental nature of the move when compared to Hydro Pump was caused by the lack of a focal point. Hydro Pump was highly pressurized, forcing it to move in a straight line. The blending of Sandstorm with it, however, would result in a jet of water, mass increased by the presence of sand particles. This was one of the most damaging attacks Kyle ever came up with, but if it failed to hurt the Pokémon, that meant that the Pokémon was high on defense.

Kyle never anticipated his opponent to use Night Slash to cut straight through the spurt, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter.

It didn't end there, the Night Slash attack was then directed at Swampert, who was temporarily stunned by the unfeasibility of the moment. Umbreon was still far off, and despite his resistance to Dark type attacks, Kyle wasn't going to risk another hit. Night Slash came with a factor of unpredictability; it had a high chance of being a serious hit every time. This trait was shared with attacks like Leaf Blade, Shadow Claw and Slash. The nature of the attack meant that it would either do normal damage, or ignore the resistance of the target. From the looks of it, this attack was going to be a critical.

Kyle pulled out his Pokéball, firing the laser which would call Swampert back. The laser trailed through the field, hurrying straight towards Swampert. The Night Slash hit first, with Swampert roaring out in pain. The noise disappeared as soon as he was recalled, but the feeling of dread still remained.

Kyle knew that his opponent was good, it managed to take out both Latias and Latios. He never expected it to eliminate two of his best. Granted, both Staraptor and Swampert were far from incapacitated, but putting them back in the field would be risking their lives. Quilava had no hold over the situation, having felt his trainer's disarray. He decided to take things into his own hands.

Quilava charged up the burning inferno upon his head, getting ready to launch a perfect Eruption attack. He was perfectly healed, having rested after the battle against Feraligatr. Using the method Kyle taught him, he launched himself straight into the air, preparing to use Aerial Ace, once he committed to the flight path, Quilava looked back at his trainer.

Kyle was brought back into the battle by his Pokémon's trust and spirit. He called out orders to his three remaining Pokémon, helping Quilava attack.

"Umbreon, use Pursuit."

"Meganium, charge Solar Beam, quick!"

"Gabite, Dragon Rush."

Umbreon pulled herself into a squatting position, readying the thrust required to propel herself towards her opponent. Once ready, she jumped straight towards her target, smashing straight into it. Admittedly, this didn't do much damage. Her resistance to Dark type moves was a attribute she shared with her target, who was also a Dark type. However, Kyle's main purpose of using Pursuit was to get an attack in, taking the full attention of the Pokémon.  
>Pursuit normally did high damage when the target switched out. It did double the damage under those conditions, and also gave the user a speed raise. Kyle managed to train Umbreon to exploit the added speed. The opponent had to be fleeing, otherwise the boost would be cancelled. The hike of speed came from the fact that Umbreon squatted before attacking. The increased distance added during the movement made the move think that the Pokémon was getting away. This didn't always work, seeing as most Pokémon move around the battle field, hence the use of Mean Look, which would hamper a Pokémon's movement.<p>

Just as Umbreon hit, Gabite rushed towards the Pokémon, a cyan aura forming around him. Dragon Rush, a Dragon type move, had a certain chance of intimidating an opponent so much that it would not be able to dodge. Observing his opponent's slipperiness, Kyle had to take advantage of the added effect. With any luck, this would be enough for Quilava to get Eruption charged to full power.

Gabite smashed head on into his opponent. Before the smoke cleared, Gabite leaped away, allowing Quilava to use Eruption. As white streaks formed around Quilava, he gained a speed boost so momentous that he was practically invisible to the naked eye. Once he got in front of the still standing Pokémon, he lowered his head, allowing Eruption to take effect.

The blast was blinding. The prominence that was Eruption caused the lightless prairie to temporarily light up, seemingly in another universe. That's it, no matter how good it was, it had to go down.

For good measure, Meganium fired off her Solarbeam, an extremely bright light which broke the darkness again with its luster. As the blast came crashing into the target, Kyle knew that that was the end.

* * *

><p>Lyra took five Potion bottles, and added a Revive to her bag. She went to the counter, taking out the money needed for payment.<p>

She just left Glaceon at the Pokémon Centre. She was now at the mart, buying the things Kyle requested. Thankfully, Glaceon wasn't hurt bad. Nurse Joy said that Glaceon would be fine in a day. She couldn't wait that long, she returned to the Pokémon Centre to get her other five Pokémon.

Nurse Joy handed her a tray, holding five Pokéballs, all belonging to her. She grabbed them all, thanking the nurse. As she clipped them onto her belt, she began to leave the Pokémon Centre. She was halfway to the door when she overheard a conversation going on between a man and a sailor.

"Was it the rouge Pokémon who attacked you?" said the man in a suit.

"Aye, me Sharpedo got hurt bad back there."

_Rouge Pokémon?_

"I hear you, that thing's been attacking all passer bys since two weeks ago. My Luxray was attacked too."

_A Pokémon that attacks passing Pokémon, sounds like the one that attacked Latias._

"Really? I guess there's no surprise there."

"Do you have any idea what it is?"

_Good question, what is it?_

"Aye, it's a Zoroark. Straight from Unova those things are. They aren't weak. They're all tough and strong. Never seen one so fierce though." The sailor answered with a confident voice, sure of his answer.

_Zoroark?_

"A Zoroark? Never heard of it."

"They're native to Unova, never seen outside of that place."

Lyra walked over, curious to hear more. She greeted both the gentleman and the sailor.

"Excuse me sir, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I'm curious about this Zoroark you're talking about." She talked slowly, feeling bad because she disrupted the situation.

"Hey little girl, saw your Glaceon back there, hurt bad isn't she?" The sailor seemed concerned, that was comforting. "Come on, have a seat."

The man in the suit seemed to care for Glaceon too. "It was the rouge Pokémon, wasn't it?"

"I don't know. Does this Zoroark know Draco Meteor?"

"No, it's a Dark type. And I'm glad that it doesn't know that move, otherwise we'd be dead by now." The sailor's tone was entirely serious, he must have been very scared when faced with this Pokémon. Lyra now feared for Kyle, if the shadow they saw in Latias' memory was Zoroark, Kyle was now in trouble.

"It's got a nasty Night Daze though…"

_What?_

"Night Daze?" Lyra asked, wanting to know all she could about this Pokémon.

"A powerful attack which can only be learnt by Zoroark. It's very powerful, not one you'd want to get caught in."

"How powerful?" Lyra had a tinge of fear in her voice, anxious for Kyle's safety now.

"It was all it needed to take out my Sharpedo." This was bad, Sharpedo was a Dark type, which meant that Night Daze was weakened due to resistance.

_Oh no._

"Umm, thanks for sharing everything." Lyra pulled herself off the chair, starting to make for the door. "Goodbye."

They waved at her, not knowing that she felt a large boulder weighing her down. Kyle was in danger, grave danger. Once the door closed automatically, Lyra broke into a sprint. She now feared for more than just Kyle's well being. If he really found Zoroark, he was in trouble. She threw Pidgeot's Pokéball, telling it to go find Kyle. He would need the assistance.

_Good luck Pidgeot. Protect Kyle._

* * *

><p>The dust kicked up by the clash of two strong attacks caused the entire meadow to be shrouded. Kyle knew better than to let his guard down, his opponent has proven to be unpredictable, skilled and merciless. Two of his best Pokémon were now out of commission, making the battle an anxious one.<p>

He began to advance towards Meganium and Latias. He had to check on Latias, she looked to be in bad shape. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a Sitrus Berry. If all went as planned, this would heal Latias. It wouldn't be a cure all, but she would at least have the energy to move.

Just as Kyle reached Meganium's side, the dust was blown apart by a shockwave which made all the trees vibrate strongly. Looking at the centre point, Kyle saw the very same Pokémon who took a fully charged Eruption and Solarbeam standing upright. It didn't even seem to feel the damage taken. In its claws was an orb blacker than the dark of lightless night, slowly expanding in size. Once it reached a certain extent, electrical sparks of the same shade started to form around it.

_What is that attack?_

Just as Kyle finished the question, he remembered the attack that kicked off the entire arrival of the Pokémon, the blast which obliterated the battlefield. He's seen this before, in Latias' memory. This was bad.

The Pokémon slammed its fully charged orb straight into the ground, causing a slight tremor to be felt. It began squashing the orb. Once the orb blew up, a blast that sent all of Kyle's Pokémon flying was seen. Meganium's shields didn't even stand a chance against the wave of Dark energy. Kyle was thrown back, having felt the sudden burst of energy hitting him full on. He looked at all his Pokémon, expecting the worst.

Quilava was struggling to get up, the flame on his head extinguished due to fatigue. Gabite was unconscious, ashen scars covering his scales. Umbreon was standing, but barely able to move. Meganium had fallen over, hurt by the blast. Her Light Screen broke, Reflect still holding off.

Latias looked to be at her limits, her original injuries were even worse now that the attack hit. This was the end. Kyle had to make a move. If Umbreon was still standing, that meant that Mean Look was still in effect. If Kyle managed to make a getaway, he would be able to lose this Pokémon. As long as he was in this clearing, the Pokémon had access to Latias, which was something he would not allow.

He pulled out Staraptor's Pokéball, hoping that enough strength remained in the Predator Pokémon. As Staraptor appeared, Kyle assessed the condition. Staraptor was in great pain. It was obvious from the way he flew that his wing hurt a lot from the Night Slash. Another hit would make him faint. What Kyle had in mind was dangerous, but under the circumstances, it was mandatory. What Kyle had in mind was reckless, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Staraptor, I need you to use Brave Bird. You need to hold it off." This would drain Staraptor to his limits, but it was entirely necessary. "I'm sorry, Staraptor."

Tears formed in Kyle's eyes, he knew that this would make Staraptor faint. Brave Bird was a move that required the user to take significant recoil damage to deliver the full potency of the attack. Brave Bird, like its namesake, required courage. The Pokémon had to have absolutely no fear of speed to perfect the attack.

Staraptor gave Kyle a nod, and then began the attack. Staraptor began to search for a straight flight path, which was perfectly necessary for the attack to work. Once the vivacious skirr began, Staraptor pulled its wings in. This reduced the friction faced, allowing the speed barrier to be broken. Crimson flames erupted around Staraptor's body. That was the courage Staraptor had, being so vigorous that it manifested itself physically. Staraptor accreted speed at a pace so swift that Kyle could barely see him.

Kyle used the moments bought by Brave Bird to recall all his Pokémon. Umbreon was left out, simply because Mean Look required the one who used it to remain on the field to take effect. Umbreon still managed to stand, making her a last resort if all else failed.

Starpator was close now. His wings were now spread wide, utilizing the uncorked speed to boost his final approach. Once his wings were wide open, the scarlet flames turned cerulean. This meant that the velocity Staraptor had was so rapid that even air was not an obstruction, Staraptor was practically flying in a vacuum. The conflagration burnt brightly, and dilapidated only once the attack made contact.

Staraptor shrieked out in pain, blue static sparks appearing around his feathers. The kickback caused by the impact would hurt the user. That was what happened when the force of such an attack suddenly hit, the obstreperous things would catch up with the user.

Kyle shot the recalling laser, returning Staraptor into his Pokéball. He managed to get Latias on his back. She wasn't heavy, around Lyra's weight would be right. He began to run for the forest, hoping that pursuit wasn't possible. Umbreon chased after him, a limp noticeable. He felt his legs giving away to pain, caused by the blowback of energy he felt. The Pokémon didn't even flinch, it began to run straight at him, no fatigue noticeable.

As it began to catch up on them, Latios appeared from his refuge, a charged orb of dragon energy in his mouth. The Draco Meteor attack was shot straight into the Pokémon, but that was barely even felt. Latios could barely make another one, he was tired. Kyle started to run, barely caring for the cramp he felt in his leg.

As he looked up, he saw a bright light, almost like an angel. Was that the end, perhaps this was his destiny, to die trying. No, that was a Pokémon, a Pidgeot.

_Lyra's?_

Yes, it was Lyra's Pidgeot. Pidgeot came in with blasting Air Slash, hitting its mark. This finally managed to bring his foe down, causing it to go down to his knees.

Kyle managed to get out, but just barely. He looked back, hoping that they weren't chased.

All he saw was his nemesis, standing on his legs, barely even limping after all it went through. What made Kyle shiver was its air of confidence, a smile forming on his face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**That's chapter 4, hope you liked it. If you did, please review, I'd like to hear about my mistakes and what I did well.**

**The next chapter will have more revalations, hence the intrigue. Why Zoroark, well, lets just say its the story that forced it.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. And please review.**

**Xuan Ying.  
><strong>

**_Latest next update: _5th of November**


	5. Adversarial

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, and I am devoting more than five words to say so._**

**Author Notes: I am very sorry for the long wait for those who waited for this. I was caught up in my side project, _Timeless, _which you can now read on . A severe writer's block in my Chinese novel forced that, and I'm sorry to implicate the English writing as well, but hey, I now have another great story. So, cheers. Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

><p>Zoroark observed his fleeing prey. He felt no regrets, no bitterness towards their intrusion. The many hits he took weren't even felt. That was the peculiar part. Most Pokémon couldn't stay standing after taking more than one move that was considered potent. He was hit by Eruption, Solarbeam, Draco Meteor and Brave Bird. All these moves retained a similarity, their clout and severity. The Close Combat was unexpected, seeing as how Flying types were common counters to Fighting types. Staraptor was well trained, and considering its vigor, he didn't expect that.<p>

Even if luck stood by him, those moves would be fatal. That wasn't even factoring the Brick Break attacks, which were extremely effectual when used against Dark types like him. Even the Pursuit and Dragon Rush attacks hit their mark. These moves weren't considered strong, but they still added up to make a high amount of hurt.

Zoroark contemplated the situation. This boy stood in the way of his plans, making him a massive liability which had to be factored in into whatever he did. He would have to be wary around him, seeing as he was experienced and skilled, more so than those of the same age. The teenager had to be eliminated from the equation, as he was the unpredictable unknown. His animosity was proving to be a burden, one Zoroark would be better without. He could wreck havoc in the faultlessness of Zoroark's plan.

Perhaps the best way was to get rid of the factor entirely. Weeding out the spring from which stemmed the problem would be the best way to ensure the completion of the final phase.

* * *

><p>Kyle never stopped running. He couldn't bring himself to look backwards, dreading the perusal of his nemesis. He scrutinized his companions' conditions. Umbreon was still feeling the aftermath of the shockwave thrown out by the unfamiliar attack. She slowed down with every passing second, which wasn't good in the least bit. Latias still remained on Kyle's back, unmoving and inert. Kyle knew that the legendaries deserved respect, but bearing in mind the situation, it wasn't really on the top of his list.<p>

Lyra's Pidgeot and Latios circled the air above them, escorting them. Latios seemed to have a slight bit of strength remaining. Draco Meteor's repercussion presumably kept at bay. It was hard for Kyle himself to keep moving. His legs felt as if sandbags were tied on them, adding their weight continuously with every fleeting moment. He wouldn't be able to keep up the pace, especially since Latias was also weighing him down.

_I have to try. We're almost out of the forest._

He continued, ignoring the pull which seemed to want nothing more than to bring him to his knees. He wouldn't give in, and if it wanted him to beg for stamina, it would be thwarted. He carried himself as quickly as humanly possible.

His exhaustion finally gave in. Umbreon faltered before him, nothing to indicate how or why. He fell next, legs crushing themselves with the weight of Latias and fatigue. All he remembered was blacking out. A voice started to talk to him.

_Sleep well Kyle, you'll need it._

Wait, was that sarcasm? Even as he struggled to fight the shade which shrouded his sight, he failed. His obstinacy failed to keep him from the shadows. He fell into the deep trance. The darkness closed in, and the dreams began.

* * *

><p>Lyra reached their meeting point, the campsite where the fires were still barely lighted. The smoke which came from the charred ashes wafted into her nostrils. She quickly waved the smoldering remains of the fire away from her. It wasn't hard to find the place, but where was Kyle? He wasn't one to get lost in the woods, he was just too careful for that. Neither was he one to find himself caught up in something. Admittedly, he did get sidetracked during training, but this was another matter entirely.<p>

_Wait, calm down. That's what Kyle would do first._

All right, calm down. Check. Okay, now that she regained composure, how would Kyle make his next move? He would either analyze the situation, choosing the best motion for the moment. Or, if he wanted to be like Lyra, he could run in circles, screaming the name of the one he seeks.

She obviously chose the former.

Right, the situation was simple. She needed to find Kyle, Latios, Pidgeot or anyone else who was with him. Either way, none of them were here. Panic started to swell up in her, taking the peaceful grounds that she so carefully took back. Kyle's advice made a quick flyover in her mind.

'_Never panic. Self control will always win in all respects.'_

_Right, self control. Check. Fine, Kyle, now how would you find yourself?_

She felt stupid talking to herself. Returning to the matter at hand, she considered her position. She was in the middle of nowhere, in a region where she was a complete stranger. And now she needed to find Kyle, her travelling companion who acted as her compass, her map, and her guide at every single moment. She could only just hold herself back from the urge to pull out her hair. Only now did she notice how deeply she relied on Kyle. So what if she was more mature than other girls her age? She couldn't even help herself at times, never mind her best friend.

She could almost hear her rivals laughing at her.

_Look at yourself, so pathetic. Kyle might be in grave danger! How could you sit there, scalping yourself. Go find him!_

Maybe that was her conscience, but that didn't matter at all. How would Kyle search for her if she was the one who went missing? Her mind flashed back to the time where she got lost in the Viridian Forest in Kanto. What did Kyle do back then?

_He obviously didn't stand in the middle of nowhere, thinking about making himself bald, while letting the entire world turn on its own accord!_

There went her conscience with its sarcasm. She sometimes wanted to check her brain for any damage. Perhaps this voice was a hallucination caused by the fall she had when she was still little. She really should have tried using the slide through the hole, rather than it's top. Ah, memories are made of bliss, aren't they.

_There you go again, letting your mind stray when you need nothing more than to stop wandering off! Focus!_

What's wrong with her? She can't even keep herself focused on the most important thing. Mentally thanking her thoughts for centering her attention, she replayed the events of the day.

She wanted badly to catch the Pikachu, which were native to Kanto. One of the only places where Pikachu could be found was the very same forest that was just past the port. She thought that she could do so by herself, but she never expected to be outnumbered by a whole nest of Beedrill. All she could think of was to flee. Kyle hadn't given her Pidgeot yet, and all she had was her Plusle, which wouldn't stand a chance against the Beedrill.

She eventually dropped from the weariness. When she woke, she found herself in darkness. It must have been midnight. Only the moon and stars pierced the darkness, illuminating the black surroundings with a light which seemed like a bulb so miniscule that it couldn't even light up a small room. She was scared, and shivered not only due to the cold, but also due to trepidation. Her apprehension was multiplied tenfold by the sounds of wild Pokémon; they seemed to be everywhere, surrounding her with their presence. Everywhere she looked, she could almost see the glowing eyes of her abhorrence, staring straight at her. Her fears manifested themselves most strongly in her mind's eye.

She couldn't keep her eyes open, not after seeing the illusions which her mind made. She somehow managed to fall asleep, accompanied by only the noise emitted by the bugs. She amazed herself by ignoring the sounds, or perhaps she was just too tired to be concerned about her well being.

Either way, when she came to, she found herself in the Pokémon Centre. Kyle was sleeping right beside her bed. She sometimes wonders how Kyle got her out, and how he even found her in the first place. One day, she asked him. All he said was that Swellow found her.

_Fat load of help that is, you already sent Pidgeot off. Now what are you going to do?_

She had to admit, her conscience did have a point. She really should have just walked there. Now she admits that she should not have overreacted, perhaps she should have just had faith in Kyle to handle the situation. Now, she wasn't sure about anything. Pull yourself together, Lyra! You've been through worse.

Instead of Pidgeot, she had one more Pokémon which could help. Grabbing a Pokéball from her backpack, she tapped its covering. The capsule opened, and Azumarril appeared. Azumarril was sensed her trainer's anguish, and tried to calm Lyra down.

Lyra appreciated the effort, but that didn't mean that it worked. "Azumarril, can you try to find Kyle?" Lyra asked with a hint of concern in her voice. Azumarril had very sensitive hearing, and hence would be able to detect Kyle if he was in the area.

Azumarril closed her eyes, focusing on her hearing, rather than her eyesight. She tried to detect any out of place presence, every sound which would cause the serene silence to be broken. Yet apart from the rustling leaves and the intermittent gust, there was nothing. Unusually, there was also no sign or sound of wild Pokémon. There should have been many, or at least a few.

Lyra seemed to notice the lack of noise as well. Come to think of it, the only Pokémon they saw yesterday were Kyle's and her own. If Latias and Latios were excluded from the count, they were the only ones around. This really contradicted the lecture she heard on the television. "Pokémon are everywhere." Yeah, so true. What could explain the current situation? There was definitely something wrong here.

Shaking the thought from her head, she returned to the matter at hand. Since Azumarril couldn't hear Kyle, she assumed that it was because Kyle was out of range. That was the only logical explanation she had. It was either that, or Kyle was not moving at all. Maybe he was unconscious, or perhaps he wasn't even breathing.

Or worse.

Lyra scolded herself under her breath, the last thing she needed was to be cynical. Optimism was a natural anti-depressant. That was what she always told herself. Kyle had to be around here somewhere. It just didn't make sense for him to disappear like that.

Well, if she couldn't find Kyle, maybe it should be Kyle that found her.

"Azumarril, Hyper Beam," Lyra said to her Pokémon.

Just as Azumarril nodded, she bowed down, accumulating her energy. In a flash, a glowing pillar of light shot out from her mouth. If all went well, Kyle would see the Hyper Beam, and be able to find her.

* * *

><p>Latios awoke to the sight of a beacon of radiance. The orange pillar pierced through the midnight shade. He was curious as to what that light signified, but there was another matter which he needed to take care of first.<p>

He wasn't hurt bad, Kyle's Pokémon were the ones who took the brunt of the damage. He was indeed grateful for all Kyle's done, but maybe it would be better to keep him out of the entire thing. He was clearly trying to help him and Latias, but getting himself hurt in the process wasn't part of the plan. It just didn't seem right to force him into something that could potentially harm him. Maybe it would be better for him and Latias to disappear, making Kyle think that everything was just a dream.

Then again, Lyra would prove to be problematic, and Kyle didn't seem like the one to believe a trick like that so easily.

The state of affairs almost seemed hopeless. Latios has never seen a Pokémon capable of taking two Draco Meteors, let alone four. The getaway was made possible only by the sudden appearance of a Pidgeot, whom Latios believed to be Lyra's. Air Slash was a potent attack. While it couldn't compare to the likes of Hyper Beam and Draco Meteor, it had a chance of causing an opponent to cringe. The chances weren't slim, but it happened infrequently enough that a trainer couldn't lean on it. They managed to get the flinch on their first attack, which may have been the key of their escape.

Latios made a mental note to thank Pidgeot when she awoke. He looked at his sister, nervous of what he would see.

The sight was ghastly; the fight had taken its toll, and Latias' wounds were many. The bruises made her pure white sheen seem as though it went through a mud bath, and the cuts were like stripes, embroidering every spot which was originally clear.

Latios was appalled by the treatment Latias was submitted to, and vowed to make their assailant pay dearly. Latias looked tranquil in her sleep, savoring the silence which came after a whole day of battling. It almost seemed as though nothing was wrong, and Latios wanted nothing more than to be able to think so too. Only the sight of pain and suffering made him think twice.

He heard a sound of rustling behind him. He turned around, and found himself looking into the eyes of Lyra's Pidgeot, his savior. The bird stared in awe, humbled in the wake of a Legendary like him. Many people would be grateful to have a chance to even glimpse a Legendary. Not many could say that they help one, let alone saved one's life. Latios was used to the reverence, but there really were better times than this.

Another beam of light shot through the clouds, Latios recognized the light now. It was Hyper Beam. He couldn't detect the presence of his attacker, which made certain that the source wasn't an ill meaning ambush. He could faintly detect Lyra in the midst of the forest, and asked Pidgeot to confirm his uncertainties. A nod confirmed her compliance.

As Pidgeot, who managed to get out unscathed, flew into the woodlands, Latios began to wake everyone up. Umbreon couldn't even stand, and Kyle didn't fare any better. As Latios pawed Kyle's arm, he made a noise which indicated pain. Kyle was in as bad a shape as his Pokémon, an exceptional quality which Latios admired. Most trainers would leave their Pokémon, and flee. Kyle wasn't like that. He would rather die together, rather than let his Pokémon get hurt.

And perhaps that was all he needed to prevail.

Hopefully.

* * *

><p>Kyle felt a push at his side, where Latios was poking at his side. As he got up, he started to get into gear. He realized that he had been unconscious for a large span of time. He soon noticed the color of the sky; it was dark now, possibly even after midnight.<p>

The realization brought a new fear to add to his already full brain. Where was he? Was Lyra all right? How was Latias? Where was Latios?

Many questions coursed through his mind, overwhelming him with all their urgency. He couldn't filter out the relevant thoughts, and almost felt as if his head would explode with the tension that every single self inflicted wound brought. His thoughts were carneering into a void from which there was no escape. He struggled to regain his calm, braking the car which would mean insanity.

Prevarication quickly left as soon as he saw his surroundings. He was in the middle of nowhere, encircled by the unconscious Latias and Umbreon. Latios looked to be glad that Kyle awoke, and nudged him. Latios seemed to be urging Kyle to move, possibly scared of the surreptitious assailant. Kyle stood up, just in time to see another blast of light in the sky.

That was Hyper Beam, any doubts he had weren't existent. The attacking Pokémon revealed its attacks, and thank heavens; Hyper Beam was not part of its arsenal. If he trusted his guts, that was probably Lyra's Azumarril's, and she needed him to come quick.

Pulling out Umbreon's Pokéball, he recalled the Dark type. Feeling slightly more concerned for his friend's health than his own well being.

He looked at Latios for confirmation, seeing a nod, he picked up Latias, carefully placing her on his back. Once he made sure she wouldn't fall, he started for the forest. His first step didn't bring forth any pain, but once he pulled his right leg forward, a sharp jolt flew through his entire body. He fell, doing his best to prevent Latias from getting hurt. Thankfully, Latias wasn't heavy, and he managed to cushion the drop.

Latios pitied Kyle, and leaned towards the right, letting Kyle sit on his back.

Kyle thought that Latios simply wanted him to place Latias on him, and did so. Latios did not realign himself after that, and Kyle understood.

"Never mind, Latios, I can walk."

Latios insisted, but Kyle ignored him, in reverence of the Legendary dragon. With a limp, Kyle began to walk through the forest, flinching with every step he took.

Latias was now awake, and couldn't help but feel sorry for Kyle.

* * *

><p>Azumarril fired off her fifth and final Hyper Beam, which would probably the limit. Hyper Beam was an attack which required time to charge up, and also required a period of instant to recharge. In a battle, it wasn't really practical to use Hyper Beam without doing rudimentary calculations and time management, but in cases like this, it was perfect. The overly bright beam would be undeniably the best way to get anyone's attention.<p>

_Wait._

Lyra almost slapped herself for not thinking about the implications of a brash maneuver like she just did. If Kyle could see the light, and that was being optimistic, then the attacking Pokémon, Zoroark, would also be able to see it. She could hear her mocking conscience laughing away. Oh, the irony.

"Argh!" Lyra was going mad, Azumarril could see that clearly. Azumarril heard her trainer's screams, but she also heard a dim sound of flapping wings in the distance. Once she glanced up, she saw Pidgeot, Lyra's Pidgeot. She tried to get Lyra's attention, seeing that Pidgeot would be able to get her back. Lyra was close to insanity, but thankfully she managed to get a glimpse of Pidgeot when she opened her eyes. That was all she needed to cool down. Seeing Pidgeot could only mean one thing. That Kyle was all right.

And true to form, her premonition came true. Out of the trees, she saw Kyle. He carried himself with a limp, but he didn't forget to put on a smile, throwing out every single worry she had.

* * *

><p>Kyle was sitting on a rock, his Pokémon were all out. Lyra could clearly see that he has been through a long battle. And apparently, he lost.<p>

It was obvious. The Potions she bought managed to salve the wounds, but it nevertheless was no substitute for a real doctor. Kyle used the medication sparsely, never using more than he needed. He needed more than what he had to completely heal all his Pokémon.

They were all in bad shape. Swampert had a cut on his head, and Staraptor had two. Night Slash was terrible in the right hands, and from the looks of things, it was wielded with a ferocity matched only by the proficiency of its user. She was doing some healing of her own, helping Umbreon and Meganium. Their wounds were slight, hence allowing her to heal them. The procedure was simple, simply apply the potions onto the wounds. After that, rub the injury lightly, spreading the potions, while numbing the sting that came with the spray of medication. Simple, but nevertheless a necessity.

Once she completed Umbreon's bruises, she looked up, and saw Kyle looking at her. His eyes seemed to say that he failed. The awkward silence passed as soon as Kyle began the conversation with a sigh.

Lyra didn't really know what to say. She noticed that her Potion canister was empty, and walked towards the table to get another. It was then that Kyle voiced his thoughts.

"That thing, I don't know what to make of it." Kyle had a rare look of fear in his eyes, and was truly scared of his opponent. "It took Brave Bird, Eruption, Close Combat and even a Solarbeam. Somehow, it didn't even seem to feel the pain."

Lyra saw the look of helplessness on Kyle's face, and found herself lost for words. She was undeniably shocked to hear that. All of the moves Kyle had mentioned were very powerful moves, and nothing could possible take two hits, let alone all of them. And if her strain of thought was right, then Draco Meteor also managed to hit Zoroark. It was absurd to think that anything could stand after taking all those attacks.

Kyle was now healing Latias, having finished all his Pokémon and Latios. Lyra thought it to be the perfect time to reveal what she found out.

"The Pokémon is called Zoroark, found in the Unova region."

Kyle looked at her with an oblivious look, probably thinking that Lyra was lying. She quickly cleared up the confusion, saying, "I overheard a conversation going on in the Pokémon Centre, its been attacking trainers for a long time."

Kyle understood, but he still didn't get one thing. "Unova's Pokémon are only found there. Why would one be here?"

"Beats me, what's important is that it is powerful, and it really would be dangerous to get in trouble with it." Lyra remembered the sailor's description of the Pokémon, and told Kyle about the Night Daze attack.

"That would be the attack it used to incapacitate my whole team. Did he describe the attack?" Kyle asked, hoping for an answer, but Lyra shook her head. Never mind, he knew perfectly well what it was like, having a firsthand experience. So the blast was called Night Daze, unquestionably a Dark type attack. That confirmed his assumptions that his opponent was a Dark type. Know thy enemy; Kyle would know how to combat the threat.

Latias' final scar was slowly healing, a good sign. Kyle finally stood up, careful as to not damage his leg further. Lyra was surprised by the sudden motion, and asked "Where are you going to?"

"A walk, let the leg heal quicker." Kyle answered as if he didn't even have a broken leg.

"But,-" Lyra was cut off before she even managed to say anything. Kyle was mad, how would he be able to defeat Zoroark? He was in no condition to flee, and his Pokémon were in no condition to fight. She had to convince him to stay, somehow.

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><p>Zoroark looked at his prey, seeing them both argue. It was perfect, the boy, Kyle, would be leaving the campsite. This meant that he would probably wander back into range of his territory. Perfect. All he needed to do was to wait, and he would come to him.<p>

It seemed too good to be true. As soon as Kyle got near, it would be the perfect chance to get rid of the thorn in his back. Then, his plans would definitely succeed.

Patience always paid off, and Zoroark hoped that this would be no different.

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><p>Kyle managed to convince Lyra that he would be alright, even though he needed to take Latios along. Lyra insisted that he take Pidgeot with him, and well, that would only help with what he had in mind.<p>

He travelled straight to the point where he was near to the clearing where he found Latias.

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><p>Perfect, he was coming. Zoroark charged a Night Slash attack, and got ready to take out the main problem in his plans.<p>

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><p>Kyle heard the rustling of leaves, and looked up to see Zoroark running towards him, a Night Slash charged and ready. He could feel Latios and Pidgeot tense behind him, getting ready for a fight, but he held up a hand, telling them to stop. Somehow, Kyle was fearless. He continued walking straight into the attack.<p>

Once he reached the edge of the forest, Kyle made a sudden stop. Zoroark saw this, and quickly attempted to stop himself. Kyle and Zoroark seemed to be separated by a barrier, one that only Kyle could pass. Latios and Pidgeot looked at each other, confused by the situation.

The scene was gauche, to say the least. It seemed as though the Dark Type was caught inside a dome, one which he couldn't escape from.

Zoroark seemed to notice that as well, and switched to Dark Pulse. Kyle swiftly moved behind a tree, and told Latios and Pidgeot to take cover. The attack came, but they didn't take any hurt at all. It seemed almost too easy.

Kyle slowly removed himself from his cover, and began to speak. "It almost seems too easy, doesn't it?" Zoroark taunted back with a Night Daze, one which was drowned before it even got close to Kyle. "You see, I figured it all out once Lyra told me that you've been attacking a lot of trainers lately." Another Dark Pulse came, but it was as harmless as the last one.

Kyle had a grin on his face now, confident of his safety. "You see, it all hit me that you didn't attack me when I came to help Lyra." Kyle's mind raced back to the time where Lyra lay near the wrecked cliff. He was in close proximity to the prairie, yet Zoroark had not attacked. The time he entered, he was immediately attacked. Zoroark probably had highly developed hearing, which meant that he should have heard him the first time. If he needed Kyle gone, why not attack with the element of surprise.

Simple, because Zoroark couldn't. He was trapped in the prairie, which meant that as long as Kyle kept his distance, he would be safe.

Kyle felt confident enough to taunt his foe, now helpless. "Very smart, but apparently, you're outsmarted." His grin grew even larger, and Zoroark's growls grew often. "What I want to know is why you're stuck in there. It just seems weird, if you weren't real, then I wouldn't be hurt."

Zoroark suddenly grinned, as if something came up. He charged a Night Slash attack, even though it wouldn't do anything from behind his barrier.

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><p>Lyra looked at Kyle in the distance; she seemed to get what Kyle was up to. Zoroark was trapped behind an invisible barrier, and Kyle was exploiting this. How Kyle figured out everything was hard, but she knew all she needed. She slowly approached Kyle, wanting to understand more.<p>

Suddenly, a purple blur striked Kyle, and pushed him _straight into the prairie_. Once the crash's smoke cleared, she saw a Stunky, looking at Latios and Pidgeot. What happened next was fast, too fast.

Stunky opened his mouth and blew out a violet gas. That attack was Poison Gas, Lyra was temporarily blinded by the smoke, but apparently her companion wasn't. Latias flew straight into the gas, the thrust caused the gas to fly away harmlessly. Latias didn't give her opponent time to react, she quickly switched into Dragon Pulse, making an orb of Dragon energy in her mouth, ready to fire.

Stunky was no slouch; it disappeared, leaving Latias confused. It reappeared right behind her, delivering a kick to her wings. The impact threw her into the prairie as well. Zoroark now had a great advantage, Latios and Pidgeot were safe, but they couldn't help either of the two without being hit by Night Slash, and the Toxic Gas was a great danger as well.

Lyra was ready to battle, and by her experience, this may have been the best course of action. She grabbed her best Pokémon's Pokéball and threw it. The flash got both Zoroark and Stunky's attention. It wasn't the end; Lapras appeared and looked at her two opponents. It wouldn't be a fair fight, especially considering that the odds were stacked against Zoroark. Nevertheless, a battle wasn't what Lyra was aiming for.

"Lapras, use Mist!"

The battleground was immediately covered in a thick mist. Lyra didn't really want to use Lapras as a battler. Instead, it was only to gain a slight momentum in her plan. Once the mist nestled perfectly on the floor of the forest, she made a wild dash for Kyle. All she needed were the few seconds to get Kyle out of range. Latios seemed to think the same thing, and rushed for Latias.

They made a big mistake there, their opponent managed to predict the same thing.

Lyra made it to where Kyle should have been, but only saw the crushed patch of grass. "Lapras, get the Mist away! Fast!" She was panicking again, which meant that her actions were as hurried as they were foolhardy.

She heard Kyle's voice, and as the mist cleared, saw Kyle himself. He was in big trouble, but what more could be said as he was being carried off on Stunky's back. To the left, Latias suffered the same fate, only it was Zoroark who carried her. Zoroark didn't exercise the same amount of restraint as Stunky did. A few Sucker Punches drowned the struggling that Latias put up. This made thing extremely difficult, as Lyra was too far away. Any ranged attack would hurt Kyle. Oh, she was really in the deep now. Every single mistake she made cost her very much. And now, they all seemed to come back to bite her.

"Lyra, get help! Go to Sunnyshore!"

Kyle's voice sounded far away by now, and it was all she could do to walk back towards the campsite. Latios and Pidgeot followed, not feeling any much better than she did.

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><p><strong>Author Notes:<strong>

**That's another five thousand words, and I really hope that you liked it. I would be able to post quicker, but life still moves on. I really hope that you will check out Timeless, and leave a review while you're at it. And by the way, that story is Romance, hence different from this one.**

**The next chapter will bring forth more revelations, and probably bring the story one step closer to a close. I already have plans for my next, but I'm currently holding it off until I get this story finished. Please leave a review, and please leave a comment. Wait, those were the same things, right?**

**Anyway, I have another idea for a side project. Looking back on my draft, I noticed how much I omitted. Namely the back stories of Kyle's Pokémon, I had around a thousand words devoted to each, but I only developed on Meganium's and Gabite's. I'm hoping to start a few more stories, called Origins, which will develop their pasts. And don't worry, they all have great pasts (except for Swampert, but I'll fix that.)**

**Please review,**

**Xuan Ying.**

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><p><strong><em>The latest next update will take a rest this time, simply because I may choose to write the next chapter of Timeless, or even Meganium's Origin<em>. Sorry.**


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